Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Insights: Taxing times ahead

Published: 13 December, 2024

With the aim of providing clarity for the trade, James Bayley once again highlights what’s coming down the line.

Silver linings in the UK wine market

Published: 09 December, 2024

Ahead of the new year, Jerry Lockspeiser seeks out the positive trends amid the challenges facing the UK wine market.

Scottish businesses to pay 'up to 70% more in rates' versus across the border

Published: 22 November, 2024

New analysis released by UKHospitality Scotland has revealed that hospitality businesses will be significantly worse off than their English counterparts, unless the Scottish government takes decisive action to introduce business rates relief in its forthcoming Budget.

WineGB urges government to remove ‘competitive disadvantage’ ahead of budget

Published: 17 October, 2024

With just two weeks remaining until the autumn Budget, WineGB has called on the UK government to prioritise the English and Welsh wine industry by reducing excise duty and offering targeted support to boost growth.

Government launches £1.5m Future Winemakers’ Scheme to boost UK wine industry

Published: 19 April, 2024

The British government has unveiled a new initiative, the Future Winemakers’ Scheme, aimed at bolstering training opportunities within the domestic wine industry. The scheme is designed to ensure the availability of a skilled workforce to support the burgeoning British wine sector.

Government lauds ‘pint’-sized wine as Brexit benefit

Published: 02 January, 2024

The UK government has permitted the sale of ‘pint’ sized still and sparkling wine across supermarkets, pubs, clubs and restaurants.

Looking Back, Forging Ahead Q&A: Miles Beale, WSTA

Published: 22 December, 2023

Following another turbulent year for the drinks trade, Miles Beale, CEO of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), reflects on the highs and lows of 2023, plus the hopes and plans for businesses in the year ahead.

WSTA debunks pesticide report

Published: 15 December, 2023

Recent results from a UK government testing programme have suggested a dramatic increase in the proportion of wine that contains multiple pesticide residues – up from 14% in 2016 to 50% in 2022.

Time to act as alcohol duty review consultation deadline looms

Published: 18 January, 2022

Calls for the drinks trade to voice its concerns over the government’s alcohol duty review have ramped up as the consultation period nears its close on 30 January, potentially adding a £220 million additional tax burden on wine.

Calls made for UK to suspend US whisky tariffs as EU agrees deal

Published: 01 November, 2021

The Bourbon Alliance has called on the UK Government to remove tariffs on American Whiskeys following news that the US and EU have agreed a deal.

Covid-19: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Published: 24 March, 2020

Writing an opinion piece about the Covid-19 pandemic and what it might mean for society, or the drinks trade specifically, is surely a fool’s errand. The information changes every few hours. It feels rather like trying to bottle goodwill, or as Adele so beautifully sang, setting fire to the rain.

Scottish government calls for post-Brexit protections for whisky

Published: 01 August, 2019

Scotch whisky must retain its current protected status if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, Fergus Ewing, the Scottish government’s secretary for the rural economy, has said.