Scotch Whisky’s contribution to the UK economy has grown by 10% since 2016 to £5.5 billion, according to a new report by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA). The report, which builds on research carried out by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR), also reveals Scotland’s national drink generates two-thirds of all spirits Gross Value Added (GVA) in the UK. The industry has also…

Conviviality chief executive Diana Hunter has fallen on her sword after a calamitous week that saw the group plunged into financial chaos. The group’s shares reached a high of 426p in November 2017 and they were down to just 101p when they were frozen last week following a string of financial mishaps. Several investors sitting on a strong paper profit are now facing up to…

A criminal gang found responsible for selling alcohol illegally in the UK has been jailed for a total of 19 years. The criminals, which were caught by HM Revenue and Customs investigators, were found to have laundered large amounts of cash through two businesses. The cash was made from selling alcohol illegally in the UK without paying excise duty or VAT. An analysis of the…

HM Revenue & Customs has delayed the implementation of the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme until the new year because of IT issues. Registration for the scheme was originally due to open on October 1 but will now begin on January 1. The scheme is being introduced in a bid to eradicate rogue traders selling stock where duty has not been paid.

The pre-Christmas rush will have an extra level of hassle for suppliers and many drinks retailers this year. The government has chosen the last three months of the year to start implementing the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme. Any trade supplier or wholesaler of alcohol will have to apply to join the scheme between October 1 and December 31, even though it won’t come into full…

The Responsibility Deal between the drinks industry and the UK government has come under fire from academics pouring scorn on the apparently successful pledge by the industry to strip a billion units from the market. In a pincer movement that amounts to an orchestrated attempt by the public health lobby to discredit the very idea of self-regulation, first the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group and then…

Wines of Portugal said it has increased exports to the UK by 23% in the past year after targeting independent wine merchants. Having analysed HM Revenue & Customs figures it also revealed that volumes for still wine – excluding port – increased 10% in 2014 compared to the previous year. The generic body’s new boss, Jorge Monteiro, told OLN: “Sales were in decline over here…