Jerry Lockspeiser: let's show consumers the true cost of a bottle of wine

Jonathan Cahill's recent opinion piece about wine value, duty and consumer perception got me thinking. The central point of Jonathan's piece is that because alcohol duty is fixed it takes up a much bigger percentage of the retail price when the wine is cheap than when it is more expensive. Ergo we should be telling consumers that the higher the price they pay for a bottle of wine the more their money is buying wine rather than tax, so the better the value, and exponentially so.

Enter Story Headline

Swig comes out of downturn with growth in sales across all sectors

Swig, the online wine retailer and distributor, has told Harpers.co.uk it is up 18% in sales since April, with growth coming from all sectors of the trade, be it direct to the on-trade and retail or through its own trading website, which alone has seen a 100% increase in sales year on year.

Q&A: Fraser Thomson, managing director IPL Beverages, Asda

Harpers spoke to Fraser Thomson, managing director for IPL Beverages at Asda, about what direct sourcing means for the industry

Online global wine marketplace to host virtual shops

A new interactive online global wine marketplace is being launched to challenge "inefficient" retail websites that offer "no social engagement", according to its founder Paul Gerken.

Sula Vineyards launches new Indian wine through Laithwaite's

Indian winery, Sula Vineyards, has launched its newly created Nasika wine range in the UK which will be available exclusively through Laithwaite's.

Sula Vineyards launches Indian wine range through Laithwaite's

Indian winery, Sula Vineyards, has launched its newly created Nasika wine range in the UK which will be available exclusively through Laithwaite's.

Last chance to enter Harpers' French Wine Awards

This week is the last chance for companies and indviduals to nominate themselves or other organisations to be considered in the inaugural Harpers French Wine Awards that look to recognise the best retailers, restaurants, suppliers, distributors  and ambassadors for the French wine category in the UK over the last 12 months.

Chris Porter on how together the Benevolent and drinks industry are changing people's lives

What a year it is turning out to be for The Benevolent. Many of you will have read about the changes that we are making to our core strategy, moving away from a "bricks and mortar" approach. Instead we are concentrating on delivering help where it is most needed, in the homes of employees from our industry who are now unable to work due to an unexpected deterioration in their personal circumstances or the onset of serious illness. The Benevolent's support means that they can remain in their own homes, within their communities, close to their friends, families and loved ones.

Enter Story Headline

UK's best Spanish wine players celebrated in Harpers' Spanish Wine Awards

Waitrose, The Wine Society, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Camino Group and Matthew Clark were some of the stand out winners in Harpers inaugural Spanish Wine Awards to celebrate the best operators in the Spanish wine category in the UK.

Music executive wins Oddbins' Palate of the year competition

Chloe Dickson, a 27-year-old music-publishing executive from Highbury, North London, overcame nearly 10,000 other competitors to win Oddbins "the Palate", competition to find the best amateur wine palate in the UK.

Tesco's Harris & Hoole coffee chain withdraws bid to get an alcohol licence

Harris & Hoole, the London and South East coffee chain which is 49% owned by Tesco, has withdrawn a controversial application to serve wine and beer in its Twickenham outlet.

Morrisons appoints wine sourcing manager

Morrisons has appointed former Waitrose wine buyer Katie Mollet to the role of wine sourcing manager.

Conviviality Retail buys Wine Rack for £1.65m

Bargain Booze owner Conviviality Retail has purchased Wine Rack for £1.65 million.

Naked Wines secures additional £6.4m for expansion abroad

Norwich-based Naked Wines has announced it has secured a third round of funding of £6.4 million from German WIV Wein International AG, a founding shareholder in the company, bringing the total amount invested by WIV in the online retailer to £15.4 million.

EWGA announces warehouse expansion plans

Lancashire-based independent retailer EWGA has announced expansion plans to extend its bonded warehouse facility in order to satisfy growing demand.

Oddbins to reward inspirational teachers

On the day thousands of students receive their A-level results, Oddbins thinks it is time to reward the inspirational teachers who taught them, by asking customers to nominate 10 they think deserve a case of wine for their hard work.

Tesco unveils "transformed" BWS aisle at new concept stores

Tesco has unveiled what it is a calling a "completely transformed" beers, wines and spirits aisle which is part of its new concept stores which opened this week in Watford, Coventry and Purley designed to become retail destinations for its customers.

Tesco offers mobile users improved service for online wine

Tesco has upgraded the mobile facility for its Wine by the Case online retail site to keep up with demand from customers to buy wine via their smartphones.