Northern Ireland's health minister Mike Nesbitt stated he is sad that minimum unit pricing for alcohol cannot be introduced before the 2027 assembly elections. The proposal faced blockage at the Stormont executive level.

Minimum unit pricing sets a legal floor price per unit of alcohol. For example, a 65 pence minimum would raise the price of a 2.5 litre bottle of cider from £5.99 to £12 or higher. The policy aims to reduce consumption through higher prices.

The deputy first minister indicated she and her colleagues need more evidence of the policy's effectiveness before proceeding. Nesbitt's plan drew opposition from the DUP.

Scotland implemented minimum unit pricing at 50 pence per unit in 2018. Studies there showed a 3% drop in alcohol consumption, a 4.1% decrease in hospital admissions, and a 13.4% reduction in drink-related deaths.

Research from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group supports the approach. It draws on over 100 studies worldwide, consumer behavior models, and evaluations from Scotland.