Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Budget: Chancellor freezes all alcohol duty

Published: 03 March, 2021

Duty on wines, spirits and beers is to be frozen, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced in today’s Budget.

Hospitality leaders show long-term optimism

Published: 25 February, 2021

Hospitality leaders are optimistic about the long-term future of the sector and its role in the UK’s economic recovery, with many businesses seeking to grow rather than shrink, the latest CGA Business Leaders' Survey has revealed.

A duty to industry

Published: 15 February, 2021

Will the chancellor address the continuing controversy over punishing duty rates in the wine and spirits sectors in the 3 March Budget? Lisa Riley reports.

Pandemic fails to halt UK distillery boom

Published: 09 February, 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has failed to halt the UK’s distillery boom with new figures showing a record number of distilleries were registered in 2020.

Beale: ‘Punishingly high duty rates stifling home grown wine and spirit businesses’

Published: 28 January, 2021

The WSTA has renewed its calls on the Chancellor to cut alcohol duty to allow UK businesses to “thrive and compete on a global stage”.

Sunak reveals new Job Support Scheme and confirms VAT cuts

Published: 24 September, 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed the details of the government’s Winter Economy Plan, including a new Job Support Scheme that will replace furlough when it closes on 31 October, and an extension of the VAT break for hospitality until 31 March 2021.

Budget: Chancellor announces freeze on all alcohol duty

Published: 11 March, 2020

Duty on wines, spirits and beers is to be frozen, new Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced in today’s budget, allaying trade fears of another rise in line with inflation.

Last call on government to cut duty

Published: 09 March, 2020

A group of 14 MPs has made a last call to the government to cut duty ahead of Wednesday’s Budget.

WSTA reiterates ‘duty rise’ and ‘no deal' Brexit concerns to government

Published: 20 December, 2018

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) this week reiterated the “bleak picture” a ‘no deal Brexit’, combined with the pending duty rise, would paint for UK wine importers.

Missed opportunity: What a rise with inflation means for the UK wine trade

Published: 30 October, 2018

Pub landlords and spirits importers will be breathing a sigh of relief this morning, but not the nation’s wine trade – which is looking at an extra £90 million bill in duty next year.

Pied à Terre leads petition for business rates to be abolished

Published: 25 October, 2018

Philip Hammond is being urged to abolish ‘debilitating’ business by some of the UK’s leading restaurateurs.

SWA calls on Chancellor to support Scotch

Published: 11 October, 2018

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has called on the government not to increase excise duty in the Autumn Budget.

Wine and spirits bring £67m boost to Treasury coffers

Published: 14 June, 2018

The freeze on alcohol duty at last November’s Budget has given the Treasury a £67 million boost in just four months.

Hammond's white cider clamp-down could unfairly hit artisanal producers

Published: 23 November, 2017

CAMRA, the body which represents the interests of the UK beer and cider industry, has expressed concerns that artisanal cider producers who producer higher ABV products could be tarred by the same brush which is intended to increase duty on high-alcohol, cheaply made ciders.

Budget: duty frozen on wines, spirits and beers

Published: 22 November, 2017

Duty on wines, spirits and beers is to be frozen, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced in today’s budget, allaying trade fears of another rise in line with inflation.

Chancellor Philip Hammond labelled “scrooge”

Published: 21 November, 2017

Philip Hammond is being labelled a “scrooge” after it was revealed he will be one of the worst Chancellors to tax the wine and spirit sector if he pursues the planned increase in the Budget tomorrow (Wednesday, 22 November).

The WSTA guide – what you need to know and what you need to question about the forthcoming budget

Published: 15 November, 2017

Budget speak explained by the WSTA

Industry calls on Chancellor for duty help

Published: 13 November, 2017

Trade associations have called on Chancellor Philip Hammond not to increase duty rates for the second time in a year.

‘Public’ says alcohol taxes a cash cow for government

Published: 29 October, 2017

Just one in 10 of the British public believe that increased taxes on alcohol goes towards helping people who misuse alcohol, according to new research by Drinkers’ Voice released today.

Major English wine producers back WSTA's call for a freeze on wine duty

Published: 23 October, 2017

Major English and Welsh wine producers have joined forces with the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) to lobby the Chancellor for a cut to wine duty in the November Budget.