The WSTA has called on the government to end the “doom loop” caused by its decision to continue to increase alcohol duty at the last Budget (as Harpers reported).
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If the response to Cointreau’s satirical ad featuring White Lotus star Aubrey Plaza is anything to go by, consumers are tired of the endless treadmill of premium, celebrity-backed tequila. In times like this, when money’s tight and mood is low, consumers aren’t seeking status brands to impress their friends, they want quality drinks that provide an experience – without the reputational hangover tequila just can’t seem to shake.
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The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has announced Rita Greenwood as the new chair of the SWA council. The appointee, who will be in the role for two years, is the first female chair in the SWA’s 114-year history.
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Last week (5-9 January) we released our 50 Best Indies 2026 results day by day, celebrating the leading UK wine and spirits merchants as we revealed those placed from 50-11.
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This week marks the release of our 50 Best Indies 2026 results, celebrating the leading wine and spirits merchants from across the UK.
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This week marks the release of our 50 Best Indies 2026 results, celebrating the leading wine and spirits merchants from across the UK.
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LBW Drinks, the premium producer of English wines, meads, fruit wines and spirits under the Lime Bay Wine banner, has appointed Wolfgang Sieg-Hogg as MD.
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This week marks the release of our 50 Best Indies 2026 results, celebrating the leading wine and spirits merchants from across the UK.
Read more...
This week marks the release of our 50 Best Indies 2026 results, celebrating the leading wine and spirits merchants from across the UK.
Read more...
With record numbers of exhibitors signed up and record numbers of attendees also predicted to attend, Wine Paris has evolved its content for this year’s event to send a clear message on unfavourable government policies.
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In the wake of the Budget, the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has released a table (below) revealing just how much the duty increases will impact prices for the consumer, further dampening demand for wines and spirits.
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Mention Calvados to a twenty-something in the UK, and there’s a vanishing slim chance that they will have heard of the spirit, let alone tried it. It’s a category whose image is more one of a past era, when the sight of elderly French workmen chugging down a tot with their Gauloises represented a romantic notion of France.
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HMRC take from the so-called ‘sin taxes’, comprising alcohol, tobacco and gambling, have continued on a downward trajectory, having fallen 35% in the last decade, according to research by leading accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young.
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Stamina is not only needed by revellers at this time of year but also spirits suppliers, who need to sate the cyclical rise in demand for everything from single malt to mezcal. Harpers spoke to distributors – whose agility and innovation set the standard for UK spirits suppliers – about their expectations for the Yuletide period.
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Drinks giant Diageo has unveiled its new chief executive with Sir Dave Lewis taking the helm at the company. The new hire will commence his role from 1 January 2026.
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October marked the beginning of fees coming into play for the notorious Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme – the UK government’s latest attempt at minimising waste packaging in our supply chains. Now, this new scheme’s effects are far reaching, it spans industries and channels but I would argue there are few worse affected than spirits.
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Fresh data from IWSR can reveal that global total beverage alcohol (TBA) consumption volume was in decline during the first half of the financial year, with a drop of -1% reported.
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Diageo has launched an educational campaign – Fancy That! – which is aimed at helping consumers better understand alcohol units. The campaign will also highlight the role spirits can play for people who plan to moderate.
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Let’s get one thing out of the way: awards are not magic. They don’t instantly make your bottle fly off shelves or guarantee a global listing. But they can shift the conversation, open doors, and, if used smartly, add real commercial leverage.
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Amber Beverage UK (ABUK) has completed an asset purchase deal with Kingsland-owned Ten Locks in a move that bolsters the former’s portfolio.
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