The UK’s leading drinks trade associations have written to the government highlighting deep concerns over the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (EPR) scheme, while calling for a meeting with Defra.
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Thanks to “Trump 2.0, tariffs are coming. It’s not a matter of if, but when”, WSTA chief executive Miles Beale said at last week’s standout Wine Paris conference, where leading industry figures gathered to discuss how to manage and offset mounting geopolitical tensions and trade wars on the global wine trade.
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With the end of duty easement now nigh-on a certainty, in the second of our two-parter the WSTA’s Miles Beale swings the focus on to other major issues that lie ahead.
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Barring a near-miracle, it is now highly unlikely that the current UK government will make permanent the temporary duty easement that is ending this coming 1 February. Speaking with Andrew Catchpole for the first of a two-part Soapbox, Miles Beale of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) – who campaigned tirelessly on that matter and helped galvanise the trade – says it’s time to learn the lessons from this “incredibly disappointing” outcome and look ahead to the key bumps coming down the road in 2025. The trade can, he argues, force through more positive and desirable outcomes in the near future, if it pulls together in a similarly galvanised way.
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A shifting picture of diversification amid a challenging global landscape emerged from an interesting discussion in London yesterday (26 November), where Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of Wine Paris owner Vinexposium, and Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA, gathered members of the press to discuss the potential ways of returning businesses in the UK and elsewhere to much-needed growth.
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The UK’s Autumn Budget, introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, has announced significant changes to alcohol duties, drawing sharp criticism from the alcohol and hospitality industries.
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Wine prices are set to increase as UK retailers brace for significant changes to wine taxation starting February 2025. Businesses warn that the new system will require six-figure investments to handle the administrative burden, with potential annual costs also running into similar sums.
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Wine and spirit businesses are calling on the government to freeze alcohol duty for at least two years, arguing it will help offset declining revenues and support public finances.
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Wine & Spirit Trade Association CEO Miles Beale shares his optimism that the new government will listen to the trade.
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The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has welcomed a new board member, adding another major global spirit brand to its executive board.
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With times tough and outlets shrinking, Chris Losh invites trade comment on the relevance of wine writers.
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WSTA chief urges government action for £35bn UK wine sector. James Bayley reports.
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A recent report by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has highlighted the substantial economic impact of the UK's wine and spirit industry, which contributed over £76bn to the economy in 2022. This marks a significant increase from the £49bn reported five years ago.
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The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) is calling on independent retailers to participate in a brief survey regarding the scheduled end of the temporary wine duty easement next February. This measure, introduced in August 2023 as part of the government's alcohol duty review, allows wines with an alcohol content between 11.5% and 14.5% abv to be taxed at a standardised rate of 12.5% abv. Once the easement ends, wines will be taxed based on their actual alcoholic strength.
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A report released by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has revealed that 70% of beer and wine served in UK pubs and bars is short-measured, resulting in significant financial losses for consumers. The study highlighted that an average beer drinker is losing approximately £88.40 annually, while a wine drinker loses around £114.40 per year due to under-pouring.
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The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), The Drinks Trust and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) have launched an appeal for funding to support the initial stage of its initiative aimed at fostering equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the UK drinks industry.
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The London Wine Fair 2024, held at Olympia from 20-22 May, experienced a decrease in both visitor and exhibitor numbers, but the focus on visitor quality brought a positive response from exhibitors and attendees alike.
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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement of a surprise general election on July 4 has stirred significant reactions within the UK drinks trade.
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At the London Wine Fair 2024, Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), delivered a comprehensive ‘State of the Nation’ speech, reflecting on the past four and a half years of the UK wine market under various government administrations and outlining the sector’s needs from the next government.
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Harpers is delighted to present our annual rundown of the top-ranking members of the trade aged under 30 for 2024. The sheer breadth of quality applicants from across the UK, from cities to remote rural corners, truly gets better every year. Now in its third cycle, Harpers 30 Under 30 received over 100 applications (a mixture of self-nominations and via colleagues), with each prospective star deserving recognition.
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