Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Hospitality cries for help

Published: 07 March, 2022

James Bayley dives into ‘quintuple shock’ looming on the horizon in April, as businesses call for more ongoing support to boost recovery.

The taxing debate around duty

Published: 04 March, 2022

With the wine trade potentially facing a damaging new duty regime, Andrew Catchpole convened a panel at Wine Paris to ask: “Will the proposed new excise duties in the UK make wine unaffordable?”

SMEs hit back over government’s proposals to overhaul alcohol taxation

Published: 17 February, 2022

The Wine and Spirit APPG has published its SME Inquiry Report on the government’s ‘illogical and unfair’ reform to alcohol duty.

Wine Paris to feature Harpers debate on UK alcohol duty crisis

Published: 28 January, 2022

The upcoming Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris trade symposiums will host an Agile Media sponsored event, brining together key stakeholders in the trade to debate the impact of the government's proposed changes to the duty system.

Broadcaster Helena Nicklin slams alcohol duty hikes as sexist

Published: 27 January, 2022

A member of the Amazon Prime series Three Drinkers has condemned Rishi Sunak’s proposed changes to the duty system as “punishing female consumers”, highlighting that wine is the most popular alcoholic drink among women in the UK.

Trade urged to act ahead of duty review consultation deadline

Published: 26 January, 2022

With just four days to go before the 30 January consultation deadline on the UK Government’s proposed changes to the way excise duty on alcohol is calculated, the last chance to be heard is fast closing in.

Australian wine producers lobby UK government over proposed duty reform

Published: 24 January, 2022

Australian wine producers have joined forces with Wine Drinkers UK, a collection of leading wine lovers, makers and sellers, to lobby the Chancellor to rethink his proposed alcohol duty reform.

Duty amends will “wipe out the benefits” of non-EU trade deals – make your voice heard

Published: 21 January, 2022

Accolade Wines is the latest major wine company to join calls urging the government to take stock of its alcohol duty review.

Soapbox: Duty to change

Published: 14 January, 2022

With time fast ticking, Liberty Wines director of insights & business development, Alex Linsley, shares his company’s deep concerns around the government alcohol duty review, which is under consultation until 30 January 2022.

Liberty adds to calls on government to reconsider wine duty reforms

Published: 17 December, 2021

Liberty Wines has joined a growing roster of UK drinks companies in voicing its concerns around the upcoming government alcohol duty review, which is under consultation until 30 January 2022.

Unpicking the duty system

Published: 15 November, 2021

Now the dust has settled and the Chancellor has published proposals to change the UK alcohol taxation system, Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, picks apart the pros and cons of the suggested model.

Duty reforms: What’s the cost for wine and spirits?

Published: 28 October, 2021

Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed plans to simplify the current alcohol duty regime during yesterday’s Budget, when it was revealed that the Treasury would be adopting a new principle of “the stronger the drink, the higher the rate”.

English and welsh producers celebrate end to sparkling ‘Super tax’

Published: 27 October, 2021

The news that the duty premium on sparkling wine being sold in the UK has been removed has been met with encouragement from the English and Welsh wine sector.

Landmark overhaul for alcohol duty is the biggest shakeup in 140 years

Published: 27 October, 2021

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced the most radical simplification of alcohol duties for over a century by slashing the number of main duty rates from 15 to six, while also cutting the premium on sparkling wine.

SLTA issues call for ‘level playing field’ in pubs and supermarkets duty

Published: 27 October, 2021

The Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) is calling on the Government to overhaul the alcohol excise duty system and introduce new measures that would create a differential between alcohol sold in pubs and supermarkets.

Sparkling wine premium could be scrapped in alcohol duty overhaul

Published: 19 October, 2021

Reports from the national press suggest that the premium on sparkling wine duty could be scrapped by chancellor Rishi Sunak in the upcoming Autumn Budget in a move which could bring sparkling wine duty in line with still.

WSTA makes further calls for duty freeze

Published: 19 October, 2021

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) is again calling on the Government to freeze alcohol duty as consumers face record high prices over the festive period.

SME distillers call for duty freeze to prevent the British gin bubble from bursting

Published: 12 October, 2021

Britain’s gin makers are calling on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to freeze spirit duty and extend hospitality’s VAT cut to alcoholic drinks to help boost British business.

Wine Drinkers UK call for wine duty freeze

Published: 07 October, 2021

A combination of climate change, labour shortages and increased shipping costs are threatening Britain’s wine supplies, with price rises likely to follow, Wine Drinkers UK (WDUK) has claimed.

WSTA calls for duty freeze and extended VAT reduction in Budget

Published: 04 October, 2021

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has called on the Treasury to freeze wine and spirit duty and extend the hospitality VAT reduction in the Autumn Budget to allow the country to climb out of the Covid-19 slump.