Increase in alcohol sales in Scotland is driven by low prices and rising affluence

The amount of alcohol sold in Scotland is enough to allow every adult to exceed the sensible drinking guidelines every week of the year.

A report from health improvement agency NHS Health Scotland shows that since 1994 sales of pure alcohol per adult per year increased by 11% to 11.9 litres in 2009. This is 21% more than the 9.8 litres of alcohol sold per person in 2009 in England and Wales.

An analysis of sales trends shows that this has been driven by increasing sales of wine, which have doubled in Scotland since 1994, and by …