The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has communicated its response to the government’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, as the consultation period comes to…
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has communicated its response to the government’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, as the consultation period comes to…
The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has submitted a response to the Government’s consultation on US tariffs, calling for the swift removal of tariffs on US whiskies and warning that adding duties to wine could be detrimental to UK jobs across the industry. Since June 2018, Bourbon and US whiskies have been subject to an additional tariff of 25%, ending 25 years of tariff-free trade in whiskies between the UK and the US. The WSTA is calling…
The Department of Health has ruled there will be no changes to the descriptors for low and no alcohol products. The Portman Group has expressed disappointment over this ruling, which follows a consultation conducted by the Department of Health earlier this year. The current regulations for labelling are due to expire next month. John Timothy, the Portman Group’s chief executive, said: “We are disappointed by…
The Portman Group is calling for ‘clarity and consistency’ on low alcohol descriptors. In response to the Department of Health and Social Care’s consultation on the use of low and no alcohol descriptors, the Portman Group has urged the government to use the consultation as an opportunity to simplify the terms and provide some much-needed clarity and consistency. There are currently four descriptors in use…
Retailers and producers are urged to take part in a public consultation into the fifth edition of the Portman Group’s Code of Practice. The consultation begins in spring 2018 and trade members can register their interest in the process by emailing info@portmangroup.org.uk or tweeting @portmangroup, which will then ensure they receive alerts when the consultation launches. It will mark the fifth review since the…
A European Commission consultation piece could bring lower tax rates for small wine and spirits producers – but is threatening the UK RTD industry. The consultation was launched quietly at the end of August and is only just coming to light across the trade. Many RTDs are classed as made wines rather than spirits because of the way they are made, and…
The drinks industry has been accused of enjoying too “cosy” a relationship with the government in a report on the collapse of minimum unit pricing. The British Medical Journal called the consultation into the potential policy “a sham” and accused government officials of burying evidence. The BMJ said the industry managed to “kill off” the policy because it enjoys access to high-ranking MPs that the…
HMRC has launched a 10-week consultation to assess the costs, feasibility and effectiveness of launching a wholesaler registration scheme. Alcohol duty fraud costs British taxpayers £1.2 billion a year and HMRC is determined to toughen its stance. It seized 127,000 hl of counterfeit alcohol in a large-scale clampdown on the problem in 2012-13 but admits it needs to do more as the level of alcohol…
