?Harpers Awards 2014: How to enter and new awards categories

The Harpers Awards is your opportunity to be recognised and rewarded for all the hard work you do. With a host of categories across the industry and the on- and off-trade, here's how you can get involved

Rolling update: Major retailers report mixed Xmas results, but wines still perform well

Q&A with Steve Lewis, chief executive of Majestic Wine

WSTA refutes 'cosy relationship' between drinks industry and government

Rolling Update: Majestic Wine's Christmas sales up 5.9%

Justin Howard-Sneyd MW joins board of closures company

Shake-up at Bargain Booze parent board

Rolling update: wine retailers celebrate festive Prosecco sales boom

Two Good, 2 Bad for 2013, 2 Hopes and Fears for 2014: Rupert Pritchett, Taurus Wines

Rupert Pritchett of independent wine merchants, Taurus Wines, rounds up our festive series of 2 Good, 2 Bad for 2013 and 2 Hopes and Fears for 2014.

Rolling update: Strong Christmas trading from independent wine merchants

Drinkers urged to write to their MP to get the Chancellor to Call Time on Duty

As part of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association's Call Time on Duty campaign, being launched today to try and force the government to scrap the duty escalator and raise £230m and 6,000 jobs in the process, it is calling on the public to show their support and email a letter to their local MP to put pressure on the Chancellor.

Scrapping duty escalator will raise £230m and 6,000 jobs says WSTA's new Call Time on Duty campaign

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association is today ramping up the pressure on the governement to scrap the alcohol duty esclator by claiming it would generate £230 million and create 6,000 jobs if it was dropped before the 2014 budget.

Major buyers from all channels sign up to first Wine Buyers' Forum

Buyers that have signed up to the inaugural Wine Buyers' Forum to be held in Windsor next March have on average over £2 million worth of buying power each.

The 7 Best Ways to Improve Online Conversion

Find out how to make the most of your website and take steps to improve online conversion rates with this report from RedEye and Econsultancy and its Conversion Rate Optimization Report. This study looks at what methods and techniques are being used by the larger e-commerce companies and comes up with seven key ways in which e-commerce business can improve their website conversion. Click on the report attached.

Cambridge Wine Merchants named as Sud de France Retailer of the Year

Cambridge Wine Merchants has been named the Sud de France Retailer of the Year in a competition run by the region's generic body, in association with Harpers.

Consumers not convinced by premium New World sparkling wine says Tesco's Jewell

The market for New World sparkling wine in the UK is likely to remain stagnant for the foreseeable future, according to Tesco wine buyer Laura Jewell MW.

New Zealand and France hit International Wine Challenge's top spot

Metro Group looks to drive wine growth in Russia

Metro Group, the world's fifth largest retail operation, is looking to widen its reach across Russia, the company's second largest wine market after France, and urged delegates at last month's Wine Vision to seriously invest in the country.

Andrew Park on protecting customers from wine investment scams

We regularly hear of fine wine investment companies going bump and customers' supposed holdings turning out to be non-existent. Wine trade law specialist Andrew Park of  APP Wine Lawlooks what reputable merchants can do to ensure that their customers are not at risk.

Independents should target the "ethical" under-35 consumer says IGD

Specialist independent wine merchants and retailers looking to sell organic, Fairtrade and ethically sourced wine and spirits are urged to specifically target the under-35 age group as they are the most likely consumers to want to buy such products, according to new IGD research released today.