Sunderland City Council is set to launch a consultation on introducing a local minimum unit price for alcohol.
The local authority said reducing alcohol harm was a ‘key priority’, with alcohol a key driver of health inequalities and most health outcomes in Sunderland below the England average.
In a consultation response, the council’s executive director for public health said minimum unit pricing, which has been introduced in Scotland and Wales, was the ‘best evidenced’ and ‘most cost-effective’ regulatory intervention for reducing alcohol harm.
The council is also considering introducing a ‘cumulative impact assessment’, which can be used to limit the number of licensed premises within an area.
Sunderland’s licensing and regulatory committee has agreed to launch a public consultation on the proposals, subject to cabinet approval.
Local authorities across the North East are also working with Balance North-East to urge the Government to take action on alcohol to tackle price, promotion and availability.
