7 hours Ago By [email protected] (Paul Hutcheon)
A powerful coalition of health groups has pleaded with the SNP Government to impose a new “booze and fags” tax on supermarkets in the Budget. Campaigners say higher business rates are needed to raise vital funding for treatment and save lives. Finance Secretary Shona Robison is locked in talks with opposition parties ahead of her Budget on December 4th.
In a letter to Robison, the Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance Scotland is demanding a “ public health supplement ” on retailers selling “health harming products”. The number of people in Scotland whose death was caused by alcohol in 2023 was 1,277 - the largest in 15 years. The Alliance, made up of twenty four groups, points to estimates which show that nearly £60m could be raised, with 86% of the revenues affecting large supermarket chains.
In his letter to Robison, NCD Alliance Chair David McColgan wrote: “The cost of health-harming products to our communities, wider society and our economy is vast, with a particular impact on our NHS. “Alcohol harms alone are estimated to cost Scotland between £5 billion and £10 billion each year, including up to £700 million each year in health and social care costs. The annual cost of treating smoking related diseases to NHS Scotland is estimated to be at least £300 million a year and could exceed £500 million a year.
The annual cost of obesity has been estimated at £5.3 billion, with research showing that this is only set to rise.” He said a “ polluter pays ” levy could support programmes for healthier families, fund improvements to the early detection of liver disease and back pilots in deprived areas to help people quit smoking.
McColgan told the Record: “With the current severe financial pressure on our health and care services especially, the costs of dealing with the impact of alcohol, tobacco and unhealthy food on our society should not be borne solely by taxpayers. “It is more than reasonable to expect industry which reaps the profits to pay towards mitigating the health and social costs caused by the health-harming products they sell - following the ‘polluter pays’ principle. A new Public Health Supplement would ensure that retail pays its way.
” Laura Mahon, Deputy Chief Executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland said: “We’ve been calling for a levy on retailers who sell alcohol products for some time. This could be used to fund some of the lifesaving action we need to tackle the alcohol emergency in Scotland. This year, alcohol-specific deaths reached a 15-year high.
Alcohol-related liver disease is responsible for most of these deaths, with 805 people lost to this disease last year. It is a silent killer, which can affect people over the long-term, often showing no obvious symptoms until it’s too late. “A new Public Health Supplement would save lives by raising money to fund the scanning equipment and staff training needed to catch this disease early.
” Pamela Healy OBE, Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust, said: “Liver disease deaths in Scotland have soared by 85% in the last 3 decades. Bold action is needed to accelerate early diagnosis and curb alcohol harm to save lives and reduce avoidable costs and pressures on our NHS. This is why we’re backing a new Public Health Supplement today.
It is a critical lever for unlocking vital funding from health harming industries, which can transform early diagnosis of liver disease and liver cancer across Scotland.” Professor Ewan Forrest, a consultant liver specialist at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, said: “Early Detection of alcohol-related liver disease not only allows an opportunity to prevent hospital admissions and avoidable deaths, but it also provides motivation for people to address their alcohol problems. “Our community-based project using a specialised liver scan in the North East of Glasgow identifies people with significant liver disease before they develop symptoms.
This approach could significantly reduce the burden of alcohol-related illness and deaths .” But Ewan MacDonald-Russell, Deputy Head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, criticised the prospect of extra taxes: "Retailers already pay disproportionally more than their fair share of taxation. Indeed, retail pays £588 million in Scottish taxes each year and the last Scottish Budget jacked up the higher property rate, paid by medium-sized and larger retailers, to a 25-year-high.
When added to the £190 million cost to Scottish retail of the Chancellor’s decision to increase Employer's National Insurance contributions any reasonable person would acknowledge the tax burden on shops is already intolerable. "Any further tax hikes are unfair in principle, but in practice are likely to translate into higher prices at the tills and fewer shops. We hope Scottish Ministers will recognise this in their upcoming Budget and help, rather than further hinder, Scotland's retailers.
" Green MSP Gillian Mackay said: “Minimum unit pricing has helped to change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol, but the money it has generated has simply meant even greater profits for large supermarkets. Far too many lives are lost to alcohol and tobacco use every year. Access to support is limited, yet these harmful products are so freely available to buy.
“If retailers are profiting from the sale of products that are damaging public health, then they should also pay towards mitigating the health and social costs that they cause. If some of the money that was raised was being invested in health and recovery services it could make a big difference for people and families who are on the frontline of the crisis." A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Budget 2024-25 signalled Ministers intention to explore the reintroduction of a non-domestic rates Public Health Supplement for large retailers in advance of the next Budget.
The Scottish Government has engaged with relevant stakeholders including public health organisations and retailers to explore the potential effects the reintroduction of a public health supplement may have. This will ensure considered and informed decisions can be made. “Decisions on non-domestic rates for next year will be considered in the context of the draft budget which will be set out in the Scottish Parliament on 4 December.
” The Lib Dems and Greens are the most likely potential Budget partners and a raft of policy ideas are under discussion. The Greens support a public health levy on alcohol retailers to support recovery services. To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
