Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Accolade Wines releases alcohol-free Echo Falls drink

Published: 08 January, 2015

Accolade Wines-owned Californian brand Echo Falls has released a tea-infused alcohol-free sparkling drink made from fermented grapes.

Scotch Whisky Association to open London office as it ramps up international focus

Published: 08 January, 2015

The Scotch Whisky Association is on the hunt for a new global affairs director, to be responsible for all of its international and EU business, who will head up a new London office.

Tesco kicks off turnaround plan with asset sales and store closures

Published: 08 January, 2015

Tesco is taking radical steps to turn around its flagging business, including major cost-cutting, selling off assets, closing 43 stores and its Cheshunt headquarters and scrapping plans for 49 new ventures in a bid to fund lower prices.

New Direct Wines chief advocates getting more personal with consumer

Published: 07 January, 2015

David Thatcher, new group chief executive of Direct Wines, says the key to success in 2015 is a continued focus on personalisation, as he prepares to take up the role later this month.

Direct Wines' new chief David Thatcher shares his vision

Published: 07 January, 2015

David Thatcher, incoming group chief executive of Direct Wines, tells us how he is planning to build on the group's successful formula, ramp up personalisation and how Prosecco outsold Champagne 2:1 over Christmas.

English wine gears up for bumper 2015

Published: 07 January, 2015

English wine is gearing up for another cracking year as its sales edge closer to the ambitious £100 million target and top MPs and industry chiefs begin to champion its progress both at home and abroad.

Drinks industry leaders praise outgoing Direct Wines' chief Simon McMurtrie

Published: 07 January, 2015

Drinks industry leaders have heaped praise on outgoing Direct Wines' group chief executive Simon McMurtrie, as he prepares to take up a series of roles as chairman of different businesses.

Major wine retailers boast mixed fortunes over Christmas

Published: 07 January, 2015

Majestic Wine saw sales creep up 1.1% over a "difficult Christmas" while Waitrose celebrated a bumper 15.4% increase in BWS sales over the same period last year.

Independent wine merchants celebrate festive fillip

Published: 06 January, 2015

Independent wine merchants across the country are toasting a cracking December, with sales up across the board.

Chilean wine brand Casillero del Diablo teams up with Sky Movies

Published: 06 January, 2015

Chilean wine brand Casillero del Diablo is partnering with Sky Movies for the broadcaster's largest ever multi-channel sponsorship deal, which will get underway in March.

Demand surges for bigger bottles of wine

Published: 06 January, 2015

Demand for bigger bottles of wine is increasing, with one retailer predicting sales will rise by 8% in the next 12 months.

Brits fork out 50% in tax on festive drinks shop

Published: 06 January, 2015

British consumers forked out over 50% on tax for their festive alcohol shop, as taxes have surged by 19% in the past four years.

One third of wines in clear glass bottles are light damaged, says Wotwine

Published: 05 January, 2015

Shoppers should take care when buying wine in clear glass bottles, says Wotwine, after 35% of wines in clear glass out of the 6,000 wines it sampled in the last two years exhibited signs of damage from light.

Sparkling wine is top performing grocery category at Christmas

Published: 05 January, 2015

Sparkling wine was the top-performing grocery category in the supermarkets for the six weeks of Christmas growing by £25.4 million on the previous year.

Wine sales hit hardest by Scottish multibuy ban

Published: 05 January, 2015

Since Scotland introduced a ban on multi-buy alcohol deals in the off-trade in October 2011, wine sales have been hardest hit, dropping 4.6% in the year following implementation.

Direct Wines appoints David Thatcher as group ceo as Simon McMurtrie steps down

Published: 05 January, 2015

Simon McMurtrie, Direct Wines group chief executive, is stepping down later this month to act as chairman for a number of businesses, with current UK managing director David Thatcher replacing him.

Video: 2014's Wine Vision conference highlights

Published: 29 December, 2014

November's Wine Vision conference brought together the great and the good of the wine world - and focused on everything from how the brain ventriloquises taste to the need to "drag more consumers into the category".

Carlsberg UK signs pledges not to sell more than four units in one can

Published: 24 December, 2014

Carlsberg UK has committed to the government's Public Health Responsibility Deal pledge on packaging - stating it will not sell any carbonated product with more than four units of alcohol in a single-serve can.

Gordon's gin launches TV ad featuring boar on Christmas Eve

Published: 24 December, 2014

Gordon's, the UK's biggest selling gin brand, is launching a new TV ad featuring a boar this evening, as part of a £2 million marketing spend.

Drinks suppliers: Last chance to rate major retailers in our survey

Published: 23 December, 2014

2014 saw the drinks supply sector rocked by news of Tesco's accounting practices, and the subsequent suspension of the supermarket's BWS chief brought the scandal closer to home. We would like to find out how suppliers rate retailers across the board.