Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Wines Direct Awards 2024 point to continued appeal of ‘large merchants’

Published: 18 October, 2024

The results are in for the Wines Direct 2024 consumer survey, revealing the wine buying preferences of over 1,750 consumers.

Friday read: Sellex’s Anthony Carr on supermarkets’ underselling of English wine

Published: 02 August, 2024

With English wine enjoying an explosion of growth – and almost a third of Britons saying in a recent Aldi survey that they would celebrate a wedding with English fizz – supermarkets are not doing enough to either exploit that growth or promote it further.

Broadland makes the case for concentrate via new range

Published: 05 April, 2024

Broadland Drinks has mounted a passionate defence of wine made from grape concentrate as it reveals new research which shows such products can undercut a traditionally made wine’s carbon footprint by up to a quarter.

Multiples: Mixed Xmas 2023 for BWS

Published: 12 February, 2024

Some supermarkets reported buoyant sales over the festive period. James Bayley crunches the numbers.

BWS Christmas sales down for UK multiples

Published: 11 January, 2024

Despite record spend on groceries during Christmas in UK supermarkets, sales of beer, wine and spirits were all in decline over the same period.

Aldi wines announce biggest-ever price drop

Published: 07 December, 2023

Discounter Aldi has laid down an early Christmas pricing benchmark after it revealed all ‘Specially Selected’ wine will be 25% off until 24 December.

Master of Malt partners with Sainsbury's

Published: 18 September, 2023

One of the UK’s leading craft spirits retailers, Master of Malt, has announced a partnership with 52 selected Sainsbury’s stores across the UK.

Multiples: Shoppers to pay price for duty

Published: 07 August, 2023

With wine duty set to increase by 20% and spirits duty by more than 10%, how might supermarkets offset these costs? James Bayley reports.

Soapbox: Battling the behemoths

Published: 17 November, 2022

Nick Gillett, MD of Mangrove UK, on the uphill battle smaller brands face with ever more powerful players dominating the industry.

The only way is grape for Asda

Published: 13 October, 2022

In April 2021, Asda unveiled a major change to its wine aisles by becoming the first major UK supermarket to group all wine by grape variety instead of country.

Tequila’s star continues to rise as supermarkets sales double

Published: 25 July, 2022

Tequila is stealing a march on other spirits categories, with an impressive 94% growth spurt in two years underpinning the rise of the Mexican spirit in the UK.

Retail market starting to return to pre-Covid norms

Published: 04 July, 2022

According to Kantar, sales are falling at all the major multiples, but it’s not all doom and gloom. During the 12 weeks to 12 June, supermarket sales, including alcohol, groceries and softs, fell 1.9% year on year. Supermarket alcohol sales are also declining, down 12% year on year in the same period.

Confidence in own label on a high in wake of pandemic

Published: 04 July, 2022

Confidence across Europe in own label goods, including wines and spirits, is continuing to grow, according to the latest research by PLMA International Council.

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.

France performs against the odds

Published: 30 September, 2021

France has emerged from the pandemic in rude health with the “staggering” performance of rosé and impressive bounce-back from Champagne only representing the tip of what this wine powerhouse has to offer, as Jo Gilbert reports.

Supermarkets record drop in BWS sales

Published: 20 July, 2021

Take-home sales of alcohol over the four weeks to 11 July were down by 3% compared with the previous month, according to the latest figures from Kantar.

On-trade reopening reduces supermarket BWS growth to 1%

Published: 27 April, 2021

Supermarket sales of beers, wine and spirits (BWS) slowed significantly in the past four weeks as grocers felt the knock-on effect of the return of hospitality.

BWS sales growth slows on lockdown anniversary

Published: 30 March, 2021

Alcohol sales continued to grow in March in the grocery sector boosted by lockdown but this is likely to change as the on-trade reopens, Kantar has predicted.

Origin Wine partners with Clem Yates MW

Published: 23 March, 2021

Origin Wine has announced a new partnership with winemaking consultant Clem Yates MW as part of its continued expansion programme.

Covid propels delivered drinks market into the mainstream

Published: 16 February, 2021

Lockdown is giving the on-trade and suppliers a chance to claim share of the delivered drinks market from supermarkets, according to CGA’s latest consumer research.