Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

WineGB welcomes MPs' support for UK wineries

Published: 07 October, 2019

WineGB has welcomed the move from a number of MPs for more support for the UK’s small vineyards.

Weeklong celebration of Japanese exports heads to London

Published: 16 September, 2019

Japan Week is launching in London next week, giving a spotlight to the uptick of Japanese wines, spirits and sakes across the capital.

Scottish government calls for post-Brexit protections for whisky

Published: 01 August, 2019

Scotch whisky must retain its current protected status if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, Fergus Ewing, the Scottish government’s secretary for the rural economy, has said.

Tim Atkin MW: Why wines from Tenerife are special

Published: 06 June, 2019

“You’re joking,” said María Hontoria, the oenologist from the governing Cabildo de Tenerife. “I thought everyone from the UK had been here.” Her surprise was justified. Nearly six million tourists visit each year and more than a third are Brits. Tenerife is package-tour central, served by dozens of airlines bringing holidaymakers to resorts such as Playa de los Américas, but it’s also much more: a beautiful island with an intriguing history, stunning landscapes and some of Spain’s most exciting wines.

WSTA challenges Gove over proposed deposit return scheme

Published: 14 May, 2019

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has called on Michael Gove, secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, to exclude glass from a proposed deposit return scheme (DRS) aimed at reducing the use of plastic in packaging.

MPs urged to make no ‘no deal’ official before March 29

Published: 14 March, 2019

Last night’s vote to remove the possibility of a no deal scenario from the Brexit table has resulted in a sigh of relief from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) as well as other corners of the trade.

Facing a Brexit hangover

Published: 08 March, 2019

A no-deal Brexit will deliver import chaos and a significant added cost burden to the UK trade. Andrew Catchpole reports

UK and non-EU workers plugging London’s hospitality recruitment gap

Published: 06 March, 2019

Workers from the UK and outside the UK are picking up the slack from the declining number of EU nationals applying to work in hospitality jobs in the UK.

Post-Brexit trade deals could pressure Government over duty rises

Published: 28 February, 2019

Major New World exporters to the UK could bring pressure to bear on the UK Government over duty rises on wine as part of negotiations over future free trade agreements.

Chancellor’s wine hikes to go live at midnight

Published: 01 February, 2019

The wine industry is being warned to prepare for today’s rise in duty, which will push up a bottle of still wine by 7p to £2.23 overnight.

Aussie backstop will safeguard Australian wine exports post-Brexit

Published: 22 January, 2019

Australia will continue to trade with the UK, its biggest export market by volume and third by value, on its current terms post-Brexit.

Looking ahead: Stephen Finch, Vagabond Wines

Published: 03 January, 2019

Once again we are catching up with the trade to find out how businesses looked to make the most of the all-important Christmas trading period, while also looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities 2019 will bring.

Looking ahead: Miles McInnes, Jascots Wine Merchants

Published: 29 December, 2018

Once again we are catching up with the trade over the next few weeks to find out how businesses are making the most of the all-important Christmas trading period, while also looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities 2019 will bring.

Looking ahead: Miles Beale, WSTA

Published: 20 December, 2018

Tumultuous political times are offering an interesting backdrop to our latest Looking Ahead series.

Number of regular UK wine drinkers drops by one million in three years

Published: 13 December, 2018

Britain is steadily losing its core wine drinkers to other beverage categories, while those who remain loyal to the category are drinking less often.

Tim Atkin MW: How low can you go?

Published: 06 December, 2018

Wine critic, broadcaster, co-chair of the IWC

Brexit: WSTA launches #NoToNoDeal campaign

Published: 20 November, 2018

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has warned MPs ‘don’t bottle it’, while urging wine and spirit businesses to get behind a campaign that makes clear that a no deal Brexit would be unacceptable to the UK drinks industry.

Japan prepares to take on the world at second Wines of Japan tasting

Published: 07 November, 2018

As Japan continues to make waves in whisky, pushing outwards with its own distinctive style and winning awards left, right and centre, wine is poised to follow suit. Harpers joined Sarah Abbott MW at a recent Wines of Japan tasting – the follow-up to the inaugural UK event in February this year. We discovered a country ready to build on the newly signed free trade deal with Europe and take on the wine world.

UK winemakers lobby government to scrap “damaging” planned tax rises

Published: 08 October, 2018

Winemakers in England and Wales have banded together to try and convince the government to rethink plans for a duty hike that could hamper exports and stifle growth.

Brexit delivering negative impact on business for three quarters of independent trade

Published: 30 August, 2018

A Harpers survey on the current effects and possible outcomes of Brexit has revealed that 73% of on and off-trade businesses believe the vote has already had a negative impact on their business.