Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

How the rising cost of living will impact consumer attitudes to drinking

Published: 11 March, 2022

As the cost of living increases, consumers are looking to reduce spending, and recreational drinking could bear the brunt.

The comfort of Another Round

Published: 23 February, 2022

From the second you taste that first sip of alcohol, whether it be a frothy pint during freshers week or a glass of wine at a family dinner, a lifelong balancing act has begun.

January deliveries up five-fold on pre-Covid levels for managed restaurants and pubs

Published: 21 February, 2022

Britain’s leading restaurant and pub groups saw their delivery sales reach five times their pre-pandemic levels in January, the CGA & Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.

Dedicated low/no stores add new retail dimension

Published: 21 February, 2022

As the category picks up pace, Sonya Hook talks to some of the operators hoping to cash in with standalone stores.

SMEs hit back over government’s proposals to overhaul alcohol taxation

Published: 17 February, 2022

The Wine and Spirit APPG has published its SME Inquiry Report on the government’s ‘illogical and unfair’ reform to alcohol duty.

Ecommerce to remain key driver as US online alcohol sales hit $6.1 billion

Published: 04 February, 2022

Ecommerce is becoming a major force in global retail, with online sales of BWS achieving a total value of $6.1 billion in the US market last year.

Sales of no and low-alcohol products soar in January

Published: 01 February, 2022

The latest grocery market share figures from Kantar show that many shoppers eschewed BWS for no-and low-alcohol brands in January.

Wine Paris to feature Harpers debate on UK alcohol duty crisis

Published: 28 January, 2022

The upcoming Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris trade symposiums will host an Agile Media sponsored event, brining together key stakeholders in the trade to debate the impact of the government's proposed changes to the duty system.

Broadcaster Helena Nicklin slams alcohol duty hikes as sexist

Published: 27 January, 2022

A member of the Amazon Prime series Three Drinkers has condemned Rishi Sunak’s proposed changes to the duty system as “punishing female consumers”, highlighting that wine is the most popular alcoholic drink among women in the UK.

Jerry Lockspeiser: The dangers of ‘drink washing’ in a declining market

Published: 27 January, 2022

I wonder if you embraced dry January this year. Apparently quite a few of us went ‘semi-dry,’ which sounds as contradictory as being a little bit pregnant. I always thought such things were all or nothing. Apparently it refers to consciously controlling alcohol consumption by drinking on fewer days, or drinking less when we do, or turning to No and Lo products instead of the full fat options. A booze equivalent of the ‘flexitarian’ approach to food perhaps.

Australian wine producers lobby UK government over proposed duty reform

Published: 24 January, 2022

Australian wine producers have joined forces with Wine Drinkers UK, a collection of leading wine lovers, makers and sellers, to lobby the Chancellor to rethink his proposed alcohol duty reform.

Christmas 2021: boom or bust?

Published: 24 January, 2022

James Lawrence finds the festive season was a mixed bag, with reduced sales in many areas but some sectors exceeding expectations.

Demand for no and low products becoming ‘year round phenomenon’

Published: 17 January, 2022

The demand for no/low alcohol brands surged across key global markets in 2021, with consumer interest no longer confined to seasonal trends like Dry January.

Consumer interest in no and low products surging

Published: 05 January, 2022

One in three UK drinkers now regularly choose low or no alcohol brands, according to a new survey commissioned by the Portman Group.

Soapbox: Why ingredient labelling on alcohol is vital

Published: 04 January, 2022

Richard Horwell of Brand Relations says full and compulsory ingredient labelling on alcoholic drinks is essential for the longevity and transparency of the sector

Liberty adds to calls on government to reconsider wine duty reforms

Published: 17 December, 2021

Liberty Wines has joined a growing roster of UK drinks companies in voicing its concerns around the upcoming government alcohol duty review, which is under consultation until 30 January 2022.

Tim Atkin MW: Time for honesty about alcohol

Published: 13 December, 2021

“People like to masturbate.” As first sentences go, this one certainly snares your attention. It’s not the only remarkable thing about Edward Slingerland’s new book Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced and Stumbled our Way to Civilization (£25, Little Brown, Spark). Nor is the author some ill-informed polemicist looking to generate a few headlines. Slingerland is Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia.

IWSR report: E-commerce to grow exponentially in three years

Published: 08 December, 2021

The total value of the e-commerce sector in headline markets is expected to grow at an unprecedented rate between 2022-2025, according to the IWSR.

Calorie labelling on alcoholic drinks gains pace

Published: 25 November, 2021

The latest market review released by the Portman Group has shown that almost half (47%) of alcoholic drinks sold in the UK now feature calorie information on labels, despite no legal requirement to do so.

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.