The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has today welcomed a new campaign from the Tax Payers’ Alliance highlighting the crippling impact of alcohol tax rises on the British pub.
In supporting the campaign the WSTA is highlighting the ever increasing importance of wine and spirits to the pub trade. The wine and spirit industry is critical to the health of the pub industry with sales accounting for 41% of the value of alcohol sold in the on-trade with a total value of £9.4bn.
All alcoholic drinks are subject to the Alcohol Duty escalator, which has increased alcohol taxation by 2% above inflation each year since 2008. This has resulted in wine taxation increasing by 50% and spirits by 44%, since 2008. It will continue until 2015 unless the Government decides to scrap it in the upcoming budget.
Wine & Spirit Trade Association Chief Executive, Miles Beale said:
“We welcome this Tax Payers’ Alliance campaign which highlights the devastating impact of the Alcohol Duty Escalator on our industry. We are facing further rises of around 5% in this year’s Budget, meaning that wine taxation would have risen by 50% and spirits by 44% since 2008.”
“The Alcohol Duty Escalator has had a significant impact on the wider wines and spirits industry. And any increase in Alcohol Duty will have an immediate impact on pubs . It is important that we send a clear message to Government that the only way to support the pub industry is to scrap the Alcohol Duty Escalator immediately.”
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors:
1. 41% of the value sold in the on-trade – £9.4bn accounted for by wines and spirits – Pg6 WSTA Budget Submission, CGA Strategy sales data MAT 06/10/2012
2. Wine taxation increase by 50% and spirits by 44% since 2008 – Pg5 WSTA Budget Submission – Assuming the escalator goes ahead as planned, calculated using RPI at 3.2% based on ONS, Retail Prices Index December 2011, 17 January 2012
The WSTA is the UK organisation for the wine and spirit industry representing over 340 companies producing, importing, transporting and selling wines and spirits.
We campaign to promote the industry’s interests with governments at home and abroad.
We work with our members to promote the responsible production, marketing and sale of alcohol.
For more information please contact Aileen Keyes:
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7089 381
Mob: +44 (0) 7504 498 656
Email: aileen@wsta.co.uk
Aileen Keyes
Director of Public Affairs
The Wine and Spirit Trade Association – The voice of the wine and spirit industry’
International Wine & Spirit Centre
39-45 Bermondsey Street
LONDON, SE1 3XF
t +44 (0)20 7089 3881
m +44 (0)7504 498656
f +44 (0)20 7089 3870
e aileen@wsta.co.uk
I www.wsta.co.uk
Registered number: 410660 England Limited by Guarantee Any advice is offered by the Association in good faith and whilst every attempt has been made to ensure its accuracy it is to be considered as a general guide only and the Wine & Spirit Trade Association disclaims all liability for any inaccuracies or omissions therein or for any typing errors. Professional advice should therefore be obtained or reference made to the appropriate source material before taking any decisions or action on any specific matter on the basis of the information given herein. Confidentiality: If you or you