Rules by country / Europe / Minimum unit pricing in Ireland
Minimum unit pricing in Ireland: the lowest legal price of every drink
Since January 2022, no alcohol can sell below 10 cents per gram of alcohol. Price-based promotions are restricted, and health warning labels follow in September 2028. We plan price ladders and promotions that stay within the rules and still sell.
Grams of alcohol are the volume in ml times the strength times 0.789. The minimum is rounded to the nearest cent.
A price ladder for minimum pricing
Your price ladder above the floor, packs that still sell, and promotions that stay within Section 23, product by product and retailer by retailer.
- The lowest legal price of every product and pack
- Where each step of your price ladder should sit above the floor
- Which promotions still pay within the rules
- A plan by retailer, and an Excel model
How your results look
| Product | Lowest legal price | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| Lager, 8 x 500ml, 4.3% | €13.57 | Hold €14.99 |
| Vodka, 700ml, 37.5% | €20.71 | Lead with 1 litre |
| Red wine, 750ml, 12.5% | €7.40 | Keep the price point |
Fictional products. Every real result comes with the expected sales and profit, and a likely range.
Your options
Every option has a fixed price, agreed before we start.
Price and pack plan
- The minimum price and best choice for each product
- Price plan for each retailer
- Scenario model and a walk-through
Pricing review with the minimum price
- Everything in the minimum price review
- Prices and promotions for the whole range
- How your products take sales from each other
Portfolio review
- Everything in the pricing review
- More retailers and data sources
- A plan for each channel
After the project: a refresh before each pricing round, from £2,000 (about €2,400). Prices are fixed in pounds sterling; amounts in euros are a guide at October 2026 exchange rates. We're based in the UK and work remotely, in English, under NDA.
How it works
From the first call to your plan in about three weeks.
A free 15-minute call
Tell us about your range. We say whether a review would pay for itself, and quote a fixed price.
Your data
Sales by product and retailer, recipes and costs. We sign an NDA before anything moves.
Your plan
Your price ladder and promotions within the rules, walked through with your team.
Minimum unit pricing in Ireland: the detail
Open only what you need.
- Minimum price
- 10 cents per gram of alcohol, since 4 January 2022, under Section 11 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018
- Working it out
- Grams of alcohol = volume in ml x strength x 0.789; a 500ml can at 4.3% has about 17 grams, so it can't sell below €1.70
- Promotions
- Under Section 23: no reduced-price promotions of 3 days or less, no loyalty points on alcohol, and no alcohol given free or cheaper with other products
- Loyalty cards
- Draft rules banning lower alcohol prices for loyalty card holders have been notified to the European Commission
- Health labels
- Warnings on cancer, liver disease and pregnancy, plus calorie and gram content, deferred from May 2026 to September 2028
Rebuild the ladder
Keep clear steps between packs and strengths once the cheapest options move up.
Change the mechanic
Swap short deals and gifts for a lower everyday price that pays.
Pass it on
Raise the price by the tax or more. Works for products whose sales hold up when the price rises.
What is the minimum price of alcohol in Ireland?
10 cents per gram of alcohol, since 4 January 2022. No alcohol can be sold below that.
How is minimum unit pricing calculated in Ireland?
Multiply the volume in ml by the strength and by 0.789 to get the grams of alcohol, then by 10 cents. A 700ml bottle of 37.5% vodka can't sell below €20.71.
What is the minimum price of a can of beer in Ireland?
€1.70 for a 500ml can at 4.3%, and about €1.12 for a 330ml can at 4.3%.
When do alcohol health labels start in Ireland?
The warnings were deferred from May 2026 to September 2028.
How much does a price and pack plan cost?
A review of up to 10 products has a fixed price from £7,500 (about €9,000) and takes about three weeks. For 11 to 50 products, a full pricing review costs around £17,500 (about €21,000). It starts with a free 15-minute call.
Do you work with brands in Ireland?
Yes. We're based in the UK and work remotely and in English, under NDA. Prices are fixed in pounds sterling before we start, and the first step is a free 15-minute call.
- Government of Ireland, introduction of minimum unit pricing of alcohol
- Arthur Cox, alcohol labelling in Ireland: timeline for compliance deferred
- Irish Examiner, health minister bans retailers from offering loyalty card prices on alcohol
Checked on 25 October 2026. Rules and rates change, so check the official source before making decisions. This page is not tax advice.
Also changing prices in Ireland
Ask about these on the same call.