Changes to the way alcohol is taxed in the UK will see the price of booze get more expensive for many in the UK.
The government is bringing in a new alcohol duty system from 1 August onwards, which they say 'simplifies the current structure' and will aim to tax alcoholic products more the stronger they get.
It was also announced in the Spring Statement that alcohol duty would be rising in line with the rate of inflation from September 2022, so that's going to go up by 10.1 percent.
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This double whammy means that the prices of certain drinks are going to change quite drastically, with stronger tipples targeted with stronger taxes.
The British Beer and Pub Association said the end to the freeze on alcohol duty would cost their industry around £225 million, with wine markets expecting to take a particular hit.
The Wine and Spirit Trade Association have said these changes will not simplify the system as the government claims and they want the plans to be modified, but this close to the system changing that could be unlikely.
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A spokesperson for the group said the changes would 'further fuel inflation' and 'heap more misery on consumers'.
According to The Mirror, the price of an average bottle of wine you can buy in a supermarket could increase in price by as much as 44p.
Things might get slightly cheaper for beer drinkers in pubs, however, due to something the government is calling the 'Brexit pubs guarantee'.
Draught beer and cider sold in pubs will be subjected to a higher level of Draught Relief, which could make the duty on the drinks up to 11p cheaper than the same quaffable beverage sold in supermarkets.
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The Mirror reports that port drinkers will be hit worst by the changes, with the alcohol duty on a 75cl bottle of the stuff going from £2.98 to £4.28, while fans of sherry will see the tax go from £2.23 to £3.21.
Moving onto drinks people actually go for, the tax on a bottle of vodka is predicted to rise by 76p, while wine will jump up by 44p per bottle.
Draught beer or cider isn't going to get more expensive right now because of these changes, but a 440ml can of beer will go up by 4p and the same size can of cider will get 1p more expensive.
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Apparently, it's going to be really good news for fans of sparkling wine who will actually see the alcohol duty on a bottle drop by 19p.
Those who enjoy a pre-mixed can of G&T will also be happy to know the tax will drop by about 5p, though whether you'll see that reflected in the prices is another matter entirely.
Topics: UK News, Money, Food And Drink, Pubs
Joe Harker