Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

One-in-five Scotch distilleries in financial distress

Published: 11 February, 2026

New research from financial advisory firm BTG can reveal that 69 distillers in Scotland – almost 20% of the total – are facing financial distress.

Liv-ex research demonstrates predictive power of bid-to-offer ratio

Published: 05 February, 2026

Fresh research from fine wine trading platform Liv-ex highlights the predictive power of using the bid-to-offer (BO) ratio to anticipate future fine wine market performance.

Old Vine Registry vineyard registrations double in year to 9,400

Published: 14 January, 2026

The Old Vine Registry, the world’s largest database of historic vine plantings, has announced that it has reached 9,393 registered vineyards across 42 countries to date. The figure represents an impressive surge in registrations, with 4,000 total entries this time last year by comparison.

Global wine sales set to drop -2.4% in 2025

Published: 13 November, 2025

Alcohol data and insights company IWSR has forecasted a -2.4% decline in global wine volume sales for 2025. This plays out against the background of a predicted -0.4% fall in global beverage alcohol volume sales for the year.

IWSR: Global H1 alcohol volume sales decline, value steady

Published: 06 November, 2025

Fresh data from IWSR can reveal that global total beverage alcohol (TBA) consumption volume was in decline during the first half of the financial year, with a drop of -1% reported.

Circana reports 71% of Europeans drinking less

Published: 07 October, 2025

Some 71% of European consumers are buying, stocking or consuming less alcohol, according to new analysis released today at the Beverage Forum Europe 2025 by Circana.

Hospitality: Two closures per day in first half of 2025

Published: 05 August, 2025

Fresh data from the Hospitality Market Monitor from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners can reveal that the UK hospitality sector saw 62 net closures per month in the first half of 2025. This figure equates to approximately two closure per day.

The rapid rise of low and no

Published: 11 July, 2025

Moderation, sober-curious, low and no. All buzzwords those in the drinks industry have become very familiar with over the past five years. At KAM’s Low & No: Drinking Differently conference, it was clear to attendees that far from being a brief fad, the parallel trends of rising moderation alongside the growth of the low & no category, are resolutely here to stay.

Study shows Gen Z no longer leading moderation charge

Published: 26 June, 2025

The latest Bevtrac survey from ISWR highlights that Gen Z are not rejecting alcohol any more than older consumers, with findings showing in some cases they may even be pushing back against moderation.

KAM conference: Venues ignore low and no at their peril

Published: 25 June, 2025

At KAM’s Low & No: Drinking Differently conference yesterday (24 June), data from their latest insights report revealed that 37% of people have left on-trade venues early due to poor low and no options.

April drop in hospitality insolvencies though warning signs remain

Published: 23 June, 2025

Fresh data from the UK Government’s company insolvency statistics can reveal that insolvencies in the accommodation and food services sector were down 12% year on year for April, with 275 going bust during the month.

IWSR acquired by WGSN

Published: 05 June, 2025

Drinks industry data and insights provider IWSR has been acquired by trend forecasting company WGSN.

Research shows hospitality has worst hourly pay of any UK industry

Published: 22 May, 2025

Analysis of ONS data on average hours worked and median average pay by experts at money.co.uk shows that the hospitality sector offers the worst hourly pay of any UK industry.

Our 30 Under 30 winners have their say on the indie sector

Published: 07 May, 2025

The spring weather finally bounced into view at the end of last month, coinciding with a less-than-sunny outlook for UK businesses via Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement. In the lead up to Reeves’ address, there was hope that businesses would be given a reprieve from the tax hikes announced in the last Autumn Budget. In the end, the 26 March statement was labelled a missed opportunity for failing to reduce, or even scrap, the increases announced in October 2024.

IWSR data: Luxury spirits rise bucks market trends

Published: 18 April, 2025

Growth spots in the global spirits industry are offering an encouraging counter-picture to the moribund health of wine sales – although the category is having to come to grips with challenges impacting long-term premiumisation trends and the instability of major markets such as China.

South America Report: Argentine and Chilean exports in numbers

Published: 28 March, 2025

Argentina: Premium ambitions

UK bucks global underage drinking trend

Published: 27 March, 2025

Data from the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking’s (IARD) 2025 Report on Underage Drinking can reveal that since 2010, underage drinking has fallen or stabilised in 58% of the 66 countries analysed. Included within this cohort are countries for whom there were reductions of underage drinking of 40% or more including Australia, the US and Japan.

UKH: Narrow focus on growth leads to poor social outcomes

Published: 24 March, 2025

Analysis from UKHospitality’s (UKH) new Social Productivity Index highlights that the most economically productive sectors deliver the least social value. By contrast, sectors such as hospitality, are most effective at delivering growth more evenly across the country, ensuring social and geographic accessibility.

IWSR data: Global wine sales portray industry turbulence

Published: 13 March, 2025

An emerging global data picture courtesy of the IWSR shows that wine sales are diverging from that of spirits, beer and ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, as alcohol spend around the world continues to lag behind disposable income.

Indies Survey 2025: uncertainty reigns

Published: 07 March, 2025

As the usual business headwinds seemingly turn to a howling gale, we once again
ask the independent merchants’ sector for their take on what the year ahead holds.