“Last week’s announcement regarding minimum alcohol pricing was unusual in a number of respects. Plans for the introduction of a minimum price per unit are already well advanced in Scotland, but the Westminster government is a more recent convert. As soon as the proposal was announced, it was clear the implementation was likely to come under legal challenge from the drinks industry. The Telegraph, the Guardian and the Daily Mail all indicate that the drinks industry had ‘legal advice’ that the minimum pricing would be contrary to EU law.”
The Guardian, 28th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk