Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Greene King seals restaurant deal

Published: 23 July, 2008

Greene King has bought UK restaurant chain Loch Fyne.

Survey reveals mass ignorance over alcohol units

Published: 23 July, 2008

Three-quarters of UK wine drinkers do not know how units of alcohol a bottle of wine contains, according to a new survey.

Competition Commission puts Tesco site under threat

Published: 23 July, 2008

Supermarket retailer Tesco has been ordered to stop building work on a development in Slough by the Competition Commission.

Half-price deals a rip off says Pernod Boss

Published: 23 July, 2008

The UK boss of drinks giant Pernod Ricard has admitted half price wine deals trick consumers.

Binge drinkers go for beer over wine and spirits

Published: 23 July, 2008

A US study shows most binge drinkers will reach for beer rather than wine or spirits when they set out to get drunk.

Chteau Lafite saviour dies, aged 90

Published: 23 July, 2008

Baron Elie de Rothschild, the man credited with turning round the fortunes of Chteau Lafite in Bordeaux after World War II, has died at the age of 90.

Poor summer hits beer/cider sales

Published: 23 July, 2008

The rotten summer of 2007 has hit sales for brewers such as Scottish & Newcastle (S&N), with the category as a whole seeing a double-digit drop in the volume of beer sold.

Vintage acquires Californian vineyards

Published: 23 July, 2008

Vintage Wine Trust, a real estate investment trust, has acquired two vineyards located in California's Lodi and Yolo county growing region for a total of $9million (4.4m)

Major departures at Inter-Rhne

Published: 23 July, 2008

Two leading members of the Rhne's generic body have left within weeks of each other.

Asda cleared of marketing vodka to children

Published: 23 July, 2008

UK: The Portman Group has rejected a complaint that superstore ASDA, part of Walmart, was marketing a range of vodka-based drinks to children.

Sainsbury's to meet Delta Two

Published: 23 July, 2008

UK: Sainsbury's and Delta Two are expected to meet later today as the two parties continue to discuss the Qatari investment fund's 600p a share offer for the retailer.

Australian wine export market smashes through Aus$3bn mark

Published: 23 July, 2008

AUSTRALIA: Exports from Australia's wine industry have broken the A$3bn (1.28bn) barrier for the first time, latest figures show.

German parliament changes wine law

Published: 23 July, 2008

GERMANY: Wine growing region gets a name change.

UK Government to investigate pub ID scanners

Published: 23 July, 2008

UK: Government data protection watchdog to investigate pubs and clubs scanning and storing consumer's personal ID amid fears the practice could lead to identity fraud.