Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Govt delays VI-1 wine certification by six months

Published: 25 March, 2021

The government has delayed the VI-1 wine certification for wine imported to the UK from the EU by six months.

Budget: Chancellor freezes all alcohol duty

Published: 03 March, 2021

Duty on wines, spirits and beers is to be frozen, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced in today’s Budget.

Trade calls Victoria Prentis out over VI-1 statement

Published: 25 February, 2021

An infuriated wine trade has today delivered an ‘unprecedented’ collective letter to Victoria Prentis MP, calling for the scrapping of VI-1 forms when the easement provision ends on 1 July.

A duty to industry

Published: 15 February, 2021

Will the chancellor address the continuing controversy over punishing duty rates in the wine and spirits sectors in the 3 March Budget? Lisa Riley reports.

No/low consumption to rise 31% by 2024

Published: 10 February, 2021

Total volume sales of no/low alcohol beer, wine, spirits, and ready-to-drink (RTD) products are set to increase 31% by 2024, according to a No-and Low-Alcohol Strategic Study 2021 from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

Pandemic fails to halt UK distillery boom

Published: 09 February, 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has failed to halt the UK’s distillery boom with new figures showing a record number of distilleries were registered in 2020.

Brexit: Reality bites

Published: 08 February, 2021

The actualities of shipping goods from the EU are beginning to sink in as wine incurs an estimated €200 per shipment, making groupage cost-prohibitive for many. Jo Gilbert calculates the knock-on costs to the trade

Beale: ‘Punishingly high duty rates stifling home grown wine and spirit businesses’

Published: 28 January, 2021

The WSTA has renewed its calls on the Chancellor to cut alcohol duty to allow UK businesses to “thrive and compete on a global stage”.

Minister dashes hopes of VAT cut extension

Published: 27 January, 2021

A treasury minister has said there are “no current plans” to further extend the reduction in VAT for hospitality businesses despite estimates that rising rates could directly and permanently impact the sector and lead to the loss of up to 310,000 jobs.

WSTA and SMEs call on Chancellor for further support in budget

Published: 21 January, 2021

Many of the UK’s best known wine and spirit SMEs have written a joint letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak urging him to cut duty while extended the hospitality’s VAT cut to provide further relief for those struggling with the pandemic.

WSTA launches low & no alcohol labelling guide

Published: 13 January, 2021

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has produced new guidance around the labelling of low & no alcohol drinks as a record number of Brits explore the category.

Beale: ‘OIV membership is only half of the picture’

Published: 07 January, 2021

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has welcomed the UK government’s decisions to re-join the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) as a member, but also said that OIV membership was “only half the picture”.

UK 2020 Timeline

Published: 15 December, 2020

From the first indications that a novel coronavirus brewing in the east had reared its ugly head in the west, 2020 fast played out as the year when Covid-19 turned the trade upside down. On-trade restrictions and closures, pivoting of businesses, innovation in every shape and form, plus the super-charging of ecommerce and an amazing collective response by individuals, companies and trade bodies alike all became the ‘new norm’. As a year most of us wish to see the back of stumbles to a close, the Harpers team rounds up some of the most significant events of 2020.

WSTA membership climbs as it releases Brexit checklist

Published: 10 December, 2020

A record number of wine and spirit businesses have joined the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) this year following a recruitment drive bolstered by concerns over Covid and Brexit.

Brexit: Independence Day?

Published: 09 December, 2020

With the end of the Brexit transition now hurtling down the track, many indies may not be aware of quite how much post-1 January changes could affect their businesses, as Andrew Catchpole reports.

Crucial final weeks will seal Brexit fate

Published: 03 December, 2020

The WSTA is sticking to its ‘hope for the best, prepare for the worst’ approach to Brexit as we hurtle towards the 1 January deadline with no deal in sight. Jo Gilbert speaks to chief executive Miles Beale about what we can expect at the eleventh hour.

‘Huge confusion’ over what Brexit means for bulk

Published: 03 December, 2020

There is mounting concern over the lack of clarity around the introduction of VI-1 forms for bulk shippers, despite the end of the transition period being just weeks away.

Trade bodies call for revamp of alcohol duty system

Published: 01 December, 2020

UK Hospitality (UKH) and the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) have called on the government to “revamp and simplify” the system of alcohol duty in order to boost businesses and deliver on the government’s public health initiatives.

Research highlights supply chain plight

Published: 01 December, 2020

Covid has caused supply chain difficulties for more than nine in 10 hospitality businesses since they reopened in July, according to new CGA and Prestige Purchasing research released today.

Lockdown will end in Tiers (2 and 3 for most of England)

Published: 26 November, 2020

The end of lockdown will bring little relief for England’s hospitality sector, which is returning to the rule of alcohol “only to be served with substantial meals” or stricter for most of the country.