From Scotland to England, over Coldstream Bridge.

[wildebus]

Depends where you live.
I don’t think many Scot’s will specifically be making raids into England to buy booze, but if you are down there it makes sense to buy some whilst in England before crossing the border. As for any English heading up here they should buy their booze before crossing the border.

Sometimes do
Say at Christmas, I would go to Morrisons in Berwick rather than ASDA in Galashiels as there the cost of alcohol will be significantly less.
Not only is there the MUP that makes a bottle of booze more expensive in Scotland than England, there is also the limitation of offering multi-pack/multi-bottle deals. Morrisons often have this deal like 1 pack for £12, 2 for £18, 3 for £24. In Scotland, those 3 packs would be £12 more (ignoring the likelyhood of a pack costing more to start with as well).
TBH, it doesn't make a lot of difference to me as don't buy much drink anyway, but I bet some small shops just on the Scottish side of the Border must see their trade hit

 

[barryd]

Depends where you live.
I don’t think many Scot’s will specifically be making raids into England to buy booze, but if you are down there it makes sense to buy some whilst in England before crossing the border. As for any English heading up here they should buy their booze before crossing the border.

There may well be an increase it booze run traffic I would think. If a bottle of cheap Scotch is £12 in Carlisle but £18 over the border it starts to make sense. Trouble is like Tim says, distance! You would have to live near the borders to make it worthwhile unless you bring a van load and not many people do live close to the borders.

I bet home brewing kits will be a good investment this year.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Sainsburys have the Nectar offers and a lot of booze is half price, I was almost tempted to buy one but it's only get poured down the sink months later, I would rather drink the juice of the cow, but deffo not the bull.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

There may well be an increase it booze run traffic I would think. If a bottle of cheap Scotch is £12 in Carlisle but £18 over the border it starts to make sense. Trouble is like Tim says, distance! You would have to live near the borders to make it worthwhile unless you bring a van load and not many people do live close to the borders.

I bet home brewing kits will be a good investment this year.

Could you be done for smuggling if you moved enough?

 

[Fisherman]

Could you be done for smuggling if you moved enough?

No you can’t pudsey.
The law only pertains to alcohol SOLD in Scotland.
I reckon you may see groups of people bulk buying.
Say a dozen or so buy a few months supply, and bringing it up in a van.
Most people in Scotland live within 80 miles of the border.
Edinburgh our second largest city is only 50 miles from England.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

So it isn't a tax then just a compulsory price increase, barstewards.

 

[Fisherman]

So it isn't a tax then just a compulsory price increase, barstewards.

Hence why the shops get to keep all of the money.
And you would be amazed at the amount of people who actually support this and are unaware of this. If all of the money was ring fenced and used to help alcoholics I may support a reduced levy of say 10%, but we are heading towards 40% with this system.

 

[runnach]

Bill, I don’t think the SG are capable to monitor collection of this added burden of a tax, and I doubt shop keepers would be keen to do this unpaid collection on behalf of the SG.

It is another half baked scheme by the SG, roll on the elections!!

 

[Pudsey Bear]

It is very unfair, why are they making themselves so unpopular it makes no sense, as said I'm no drinker, but people should be able to buy booze at the same prices all over the UK, alcoholism won't be affected by price rises anyway they will just start to drink other cheaper stuff or start stealing it, it will likely allow a black market to start up, madness.

 

[Fisherman]

The article below only serves to highlight the utter stupidity of this levy.
In the past three years deaths from alcohol in Scotland have increased by 25%, with sales being reduced by 3.5% due to the levy. So folk who enjoy a wee drink are cutting back due to the levy, but those in need of help simply ignore it. This was highlighted years ago, but the muppets running this country chose to ignore what’s in front of them. I have highlighted the appropriate paragraph.

Did you all know that a GP earning £120,000 a year will pay £550 a month more income tax. All you hear from these idiots is “it’s only fair that the better off should pay more”. They ignore the fact that 11% of Scot’s pay 65% of the tax up here. We now have a 45% rate for earning over £75,000. So ask yourself here you are with your medical degree, and you are offered two positions, one in Glasgow, and the other in Manchester, where would you go.




Public Health Supplement-style levy for supermarkets selling alcohol could generate almost £60m per year to tackle drink-related harms, it is claimed.

Economic research from Fraser of Allander Institute suggests the move could bring in £57m annually.

The charity Alcohol Focus Scotland, which commissioned the study, said the proceeds could be used for prevention, recovery and treatment work.

Estimates suggest revenue from alcohol sales has increased by more than £30m a year despite a 3.5 per cent drop in purchases in the first year of minimum unit pricing.



The Public Health Supplement was in place from 2012 and applied to non-domestic rates for large retailers selling alcohol and tobacco. Set it 13p, it raised £95m before it ended in 2015.

The Scottish Government has committed to exploring its reintroduction. Scottish Labour has also called for a Public Health Levy to tackle alcohol-related problems.

João Sousa, deputy director of the Fraser of Allander Institute, said: "Different rates would naturally lead to different levels of revenue – for example, we estimate a 10p rate would bring in around £44m, and a 16p levy would bring in around £70m."

Alison Douglas, head of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: "The Scottish Government has recognised the increasing number of deaths from alcohol, up by 25 per cent in the last three years, as a public health emergency, but to tackle this issue needs appropriate funding.

"By redirecting some of this additional money, can relieve the pressures that our health and social care services are experiencing and address the 40 per cent decline in people accessing specialist alcohol treatment over the past decade."

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[wildebus]

When this MUP was first announced, I expected the makers of the better quality drinks to welcome it (and maybe they do?).
Say you buy a bottle of premium whisky... That will generally be priced at a point which is above the MUP figure so the introduction of this should make no difference to them. But the makers of the cheap stuff WILL end up with their product more expensive. So the buyer will see the good stuff not that much more expensive than the cheap crap they maybe used to buy and switch - increasing sales of good booze?
So at least you will maybe end up with a better class of Alcoholic?


(I wouldn't be surprised however if those premium brands raised their prices anyway to keep the gap to avoid being associated with the cheap gear?)

 

[Fisherman]

(I wouldn't be surprised however if those premium brands raised their prices anyway to keep the gap to avoid being associated with the cheap gear?)

This has been highlighted elsewhere David, and some brands have increased there particularly in wines. But it’s not only the brands who have done this it’s the shops also. I priced a nice bottle of Bordeaux in Chester at £9, the same shop in Glasgow it was £11. And at this price it’s well above the threshold.

 

[barryd]

Surely though if premium brands take advantage and also up their prices you could just order online from Amazon or another online retailer.

I just checked and although this isnt premium its the same price with free delivery if I put in my address or one in Glasgow.

£16 but it seems the maximum is just six bottles. That seems a competitive price though.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Famous-Grouse-Smoky-Black-Whisky/dp/B01GFKOR34/ref=sr_1_15?crid=1W6NEV6FVNYCS&keywords=whisky&qid=1707561839&sprefix=whisky%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-15

 

[Fisherman]

Surely though if premium brands take advantage and also up their prices you could just order online from Amazon or another online retailer.

I just checked and although this isnt premium its the same price with free delivery if I put in my address or one in Glasgow.

£16 but it seems the maximum is just six bottles. That seems a competitive price though.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Famous-Grouse-Smoky-Black-Whisky/dp/B01GFKOR34/ref=sr_1_15?crid=1W6NEV6FVNYCS&keywords=whisky&qid=1707561839&sprefix=whisky%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-15

Correct Barry, this is because it’s not SOLD in Scotland.
There’s nothing stopping us from doing this.
I have wine delivered from Laithwaites at the same price.
Many up here do this, and with the introduction of this higher levy I have no doubt this will increase.
This will affect many retailers up here.
But Amazon do have depots up here, I reckon they may have stopped stocking it in their Scottish depots in order to avoid this levy.

 

[wildebus]

This has been highlighted elsewhere David, and some brands have increased there particularly in wines. But it’s not only the brands who have done this it’s the shops also. I priced a nice bottle of Bordeaux in Chester at £9, the same shop in Glasgow it was £11. And at this price it’s well above the threshold.

I don't really notice these things so much as, for some weird reason, I prefer the cheaper (but still reasonable enough) stuff.
I got a Virgin Bank account a couple of years back and got the free box of wine incentive. I think the average price of the same wine in the shops was around a tenner? I have a rather unsophisticated palette when it comes to wine and beer and I saw no improvement from the £4 ish bottles from the Coop or LIDL
But if the cheapest bottle of Wine in Scotland will be over £6, that is rediculous!

And when it comes to beer, the weak stuff I like more (and often just drink 0% beer for no reason other than I enjoy it bought some 0.5% Budvar from Home Bargains in Berwick .... 75p for a 500ml bottle. very palatable ).
But I do draw the line at industrial cider that has never seen an apple, and I do prefer a decent brand of Rum

Correct Barry, this is because it’s not SOLD in Scotland.
There’s nothing stopping us from doing this.
I have wine delivered from Laithwaites at the same price.
Many up here do this, and with the introduction of this higher levy I have no doubt this will increase.
This will affect many retailers up here.

Never been sure if it is where something is sold or where it is delivered is a key factor. We generally do on-line supermarket shopping. If it is an ASDA shop, the food always comes from a depot in Northumberland. I'd have to have a look to see if different supermakets have different prices depending on Address (I can't recall for sure if Sainsbury deliver from a central Depot like ASDA ever? the local (Scottish) one has delivery vans in the carpark, but then again so does the Galashiels ASDA, but the ASDA delivery never comes from there.)

But Amazon do have depots up here, I reckon they may have stopped stocking it in their Scottish depots in order to avoid this levy.

When the MUP first was introduced, it became rather confusing at Bookers C&C when they had multiple prices on the shelves in the Booze aisle.
I asked why and they said 'standard' buyers had one price and the buyers with the alcohol licenses could buy without any regard to any MUP as that was a minimum CUSTOMER price, rather than a minimum selling price. But of course, if you didn't have a license, you couldn't resell so you were the Customer.

 

[barge1914]

So, if you buy your booze online from an English seller to be delivered to a Scottish address what happens to the tax? Unlike from EU there’s no customs border for it to cross?

 

[barryd]

So, if you buy your booze online from an English seller to be delivered to a Scottish address what happens to the tax? Unlike from EU there’s no customs border for it to cross?

Nothing. Its just standard UK tax, no levy applied to the seller. As I said above, Amazon delivering whisky to Glasgow is the same price to me in North Yorkshire.

 

[wildebus]

Nothing. Its just standard UK tax, no levy applied to the seller. As I said above, Amazon delivering whisky to Glasgow is the same price to me in North Yorkshire.

What they must be doing - if they are doing it correctly (and legally) - is to ensure that the price is high enough to cover the MUP in Scotland if they are selling at the same price. When the new MUP comes in, it will give the price of 'basic' whisky a big jump. I wonder if you will still see the same prices for both addresses? (I have no idea on whisky prices!)

EDIT: just had a look ....
"The new prices will come into force on 30 September. It means a basic bottle of whisky will rise from £14 to £18.20; a can of lager will cost at least £1.30; and a standard bottle of vodka £17.06"
So the Famous Grouse from Amazon at £15 is over the current MUP, so that price is "acceptable" in Scotland. But from 30th September, it will not be.
Something to look and check in a few months time?



As a little test, I went onto Morrisons website and selected beer ....

Firstly they do have little flag in the promotions .... Note the bit under "drinkaware.co.uk"

​

https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/scontent/customerServicesFAQ

So the rules on MUP and Combo-buys is down to where you physically GET your hands on the goods, and not the place you order it from.



Time to buy some Beer . I fancy a 6 pack of Heineken Premium

If I am in England, OR if I am in Scotland but get it delivered to an English address, I have this offer:

£7.50 for a pack of 6, or I can get 2 packs for £10.50. Nice

But what if I get it delivered to the house directly?

Pack Price is actually LOWER
However, you will notice the multipack offer is no longer there . If I want to buy two packs it will cost me £11 instead of £10.50. But just one pack is a pretty sweet deal.

I am guessing Morrisons marketing dept. have determined people tend to buy multiple packs and to get round the ban on discounted multi-packs in Scotland, they reduced the price of a single one to give a similar result. Overall, maybe the Scottish buyers actually win on the above if they just pick up a 6-pack occasionally?

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Whatever way you look at it it's absolutely scandalous.

Is it borderline racist too?

 

[barryd]

What they must be doing - if they are doing it correctly (and legally) - is to ensure that the price is high enough to cover the MUP in Scotland if they are selling at the same price. When the new MUP comes in, it will give the price of 'basic' whisky a big jump. I wonder if you will still see the same prices for both addresses? (I have no idea on whisky prices!)

EDIT: just had a look ....
"The new prices will come into force on 30 September. It means a basic bottle of whisky will rise from £14 to £18.20; a can of lager will cost at least £1.30; and a standard bottle of vodka £17.06"
So the Famous Grouse from Amazon at £15 is over the current MUP, so that price is "acceptable" in Scotland. But from 30th September, it will not be.
Something to look and check in a few months time?



As a little test, I went onto Morrisons website and selected beer ....

Firstly they do have little flag in the promotions .... Note the bit under "drinkaware.co.uk"
View attachment 128032

​

https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/scontent/customerServicesFAQ

View attachment 128035
So the rules on MUP and Combo-buys is down to where you physically GET your hands on the goods, and not the place you order it from.



Time to buy some Beer . I fancy a 6 pack of Heineken Premium

If I am in England, OR if I am in Scotland but get it delivered to an English address, I have this offer:
View attachment 128033
£7.50 for a pack of 6, or I can get 2 packs for £10.50. Nice

But what if I get it delivered to the house directly?
View attachment 128034
Pack Price is actually LOWER
However, you will notice the multipack offer is no longer there . If I want to buy two packs it will cost me £11 instead of £10.50. But just one pack is a pretty sweet deal.

I am guessing Morrisons marketing dept. have determined people tend to buy multiple packs and to get round the ban on discounted multi-packs in Scotland, they reduced the price of a single one to give a similar result. Overall, maybe the Scottish buyers actually win on the above if they just pick up a 6-pack occasionally?

Surely its down to where the goods leave from. The Scottish government cannot dictate to an English retailer what prices they must charge. They can perhaps if its delivered from a Scottish store but if the goods leave from say Carlisle surely not.