Alcohol Duty

UKHospitality has backed the Scotch Whisky Association’s (SWA) call for the UK government to freeze alcohol duty in the upcoming Autumn Budget, saying that a duty freeze would "help to alleviate the pressures facing the hospitality supply chain". The comments, which come less than a month afte

Following the Treasury's announcement that the Autumn Budget will be held on 26 November, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has called on the Chancellor to implement a multi-year freeze on spirits duty. Mark Kent, the SWA's chief executive, argued that the Chancellor's previous decision to increas

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has criticised the Chancellor’s decision to further increase duty on Scotch Whisky has broken the Prime Minister’s commitment to "back Scotch producers to the hilt". In her first Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced an retail price index (RPI) in

Several of Scotland's business and sector organisations have called on the UK government to reduce the tax burden on Scotland's national drink ahead of the 30 October Budget. The Scottish Chambers of Commerce, UK Hospitality Scotland, Scotland Food and Drink, the Institute of Directors, and the Scot

One year after the 10.1% hike in alcohol duty, gin and whisky makers say the boom industry has been stifled. The August 2023 hike, the largest in almost 50 years, saw prices rise significantly. ONS data reveals the average price of red wine increased by 8%, gin by 6%, and fortified wine by 17%, acco

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has applauded the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's decision to extend the alcohol duty freeze until February 2025, stating that a duty rise would have been detrimental to the industry, its supply chain, consumers, and the wider economy amidst ongoing efforts to curb infl

Adam Hardie discusses the implications of the new alcohol duty rules set to come into effect next week, which are predicted to impact the entire drinks sector, with particular benefits for producers of low and no-alcohol beverages. Major change is brewing in the drinks sector. On August 1, 2023, new