Now that the smoke has cleared away from Christmas and the New Year celebrations we start to look forward to the late winter and spring tastings put on by our suppliers. It’s part of the planning process to fill gaps in the list and to discover new lines and new growers, as well as consolidating existing relationships with more familiar faces. In short it’s time to go shopping and, as it’s the only type of shopping either of us can manage with a smile, it is usually fun. Sometimes it’s challenging or frustrating, but when we have written off the non-starters and filtered through the shortlist to emerge with a clutch of exciting fresh ideas for the Wines of Interest 2014/15 Wine List, we are confident that you, dear customer, will have plenty to get your teeth into over the coming year.
Did you know that the wine and spirit industries are worth £20 billion annually to the British economy and support, directly or indirectly, £40 billion of economic activity in the
Since the introduction of the alcohol duty escalator in 2008 by Mr. Darling, wine taxation has risen by 50% and spirits by 44%, of which 25% for both categories was imposed by nice Mr. Osborne who picked up the baton when it became his turn. Tax now accounts for 79% of an average-priced bottle of spirits and 57% of an average bottle of wine. This will increase to over 80% on spirits and 60% on wine if the escalator is retained for 2014. Don’t forget that every time the excise duty increases as part of our cost, the retail selling price also contains a growing amount of VAT. You pay a tax on a tax.
As we stand now, the
Next time you hear the talking heads pontificating about the
What beats me is just how the constant milking of our industry to this punitive degree squares up with government’s declared intent to create jobs and support growth. It doesn’t look that way from here. With the chancellor’s budget booked for March 19th the spectre of another increase looms large and, as the duty escalator’s rate is set at 2% over inflation, we could be looking at another significant hike.
This is not a partisan, anti-government rant; all the parties of whatever political hue have been equally unsympathetic to our trade down the years. The fact remains that the
In short, we’ve paid already. Go and fleece somebody else for a change, George. Oh, and don’t defer it for a year, DO IT NOW.
If any of you feel similarly but do not know where to express that frustration, please go to http://action.calltimeonduty.com/ hosted by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association and endorsed by The TaxPayers’
Of course, if you actively wish to pay more for your booze and see further hurdles shoved in front of your favourite pub or restaurant and the vital tourist industry, please feel equally free not to do this…..