There has been a 'substantial fall' in the amount of alcohol sold at very low prices in Scotland,
Minimum unit pricing was introduced in Scotland in May 2018, with officials saying new figures give an 'early indication' of the impact.
In a report, NHS Health Scotland highlights that the country has seen the biggest rise in the average price of alcohol sold through supermarkets and off-licences in a decade.
In total, 9.9 litres of pure alcohol were sold per adult in Scotland - equivalent to 19 units per adult per week.
While still 9% higher than the volume recorded in England and Wales, it's the smallest difference since 2003.
Lucie Giles of NHS Health Scotland observed: "From the data in this report it’s not possible to quantify the full contribution of MUP on alcohol prices and sales, but these are encouraging early indicators.
“We know that alcohol remains a significant public health issue and people in our poorest areas continue to experience the most harm. This is unfair and it is preventable, like all harm caused by alcohol."
Ireland
Minimum unit pricing for Ireland was introduced in the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, which also includes measures such as new restrictions on advertising.
However, the section covering MPU - which would set the minimum price per gram of alcohol at €0.10 - has yet to be commenced.
Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland, welcomed the report from Scotland.
She observed: "The report gives the first indications of the impact of Minimum Unit Pricing. This public health measure is designed to reduce levels of harmful drinking.
"The Scottish government has been very pro-active in tackling the serious issues around alcohol.
"Ireland which has even higher levels of alcohol consumption, needs to address the multiple harms from alcohol in a systematic way."
The organisation added the continued delay to implementing MPU here is "deeply disappointing", and is calling for Health Minister Simon Harris to clarify the date of commencement as soon as possible.
