Judges are expected to rule on minimum pricing for alcohol in Scotland on Friday.

Last year, the European Court of Justice(ECJ) ruled the Scottish Government's plans for a minimum alcohol price has been ruled contrary to EU law by a European court.

It came after judges in the Court of Session sought the opinion of the court in Luxembourg as part of the long running legal saga to introduce a minimum unit price of 50p in Scotland.

Further evidence was then heard at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in June and a judgment on the Scotch Whisky association's appeal against the Scottish Government proposals is expected on Friday.

MSPs backed the move at Holyrood in 2012 but implementation stalled after the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and other European wine and spirits producers took legal action, arguing minimum pricing would breach European law.

Judge Lord Doherty initially rejected the challenge at the Court of Session in 2013 but it was referred to the ECJ the following year after an appeal hearing.

Last December, an ECJ ruling said the plan would breach European Union law if alternative tax measures could be introduced.

The court concluded a tax rise on alcoholic drinks "is liable to be less restrictive of trade" than minimum pricing.

The ECJ said it would be for the Court of Session to make a final decision after determining whether or not any alternative measure could equal the stated public health benefit while being less restrictive of trade.

Alcohol Focus Scotland have previously published figures showing shoppers can buy the weekly limit of 14 units of alcohol for just £2.52.

Research at supermarket and off-licences in Edinburgh and Glasgow found cider on sale at 18p per unit, vodka at 36p per unit, lager at 26p per unit and wine at 32p per unit.

The Scottish Government along with charities, police and health bosses, believe the proposals would help tackle Scotland's "unhealthy relationship with drink".