The government has proposed to increase the abv threshold for low/no drinks in a move to make alcohol-free products more widely available. Currently, only drinks with an abv below 0.05% are considered alcohol-free in the UK. This threshold sits at 0.5% abv in countries such as Belgium, Portugal, Germany and the US.  The UK is now looking to adopt a new product…

Wine retailer Vinotopia has opened a new site in the Cotswolds, offering around 400 wines, spirits, beers and ciders as well as a drink-in area.  Named the Vinotopia Wine Barn, the new opening follows in the footsteps of the Vinotopia Wine Box – a repurposed shipping container in Stroud. According to Vinotopia owners, the Wine Barn offers four times more retailing space than…

It’s not every day you find yourself in the charts with Kylie, but James Halliday, Diageo GB’s commercial director for take-home, appeared among this year’s Drinks Retailing Top 100 Most Influential. Here, he talks to Lucy Britner about consumer trends, brand strategy and working with retailers “Anything to do with the off-trade that remotely touches commercial – that will come to me,” says…

Gallo Family Vineyards has extended its range of price-marked packs (PMPs) to include Pinot Grigio and Merlot. Both varieties join the brand’s Zinfandel rosé in displaying peelable PMPs. According to the company, the launch of PMPs last summer helped Gallo achieve +18% in incremental sales. Mark Stammers, sales director UK & Ireland at E&J Gallo Winery, said: “At a time where the cost of living…

C&C Group has unveiled a new design for its Orchard Pig cider brand, as it looks to modernise packaging. The new livery will roll out to the on- and off-trade from October, starting with the brand’s Reveller and Truffler 50cl bottles. Eleanor Quigley, brand manager for Orchard Pig, said: “We know Orchard Pig drinkers are free-spirited and keep up with trends, so we wanted our…

As the cost of living crisis continues and crime rates rise across the UK, increased shoplifting incidents are leaving drinks retailers feeling the repercussions. One store owner told Drinks Retailing about how shoplifting has impacted his business, and what needs to be done to support retailers Amid rising prices, reports of shoplifting are on the increase. Recently, The Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed)…

The Scottish government has proposed an increase in the Minimum Unit Price (MUP) for alcohol, as ministers look at the future of the scheme. Last week, Elena Whitman MSP, minister for drugs and alcohol policy, set out a consultation for the continuation of MUP, as well as future pricing. MUP, implemented in 2018 at 50p per unit, is subject to a sunset clause and will…