The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has warned British consumers to expect a rise in wine prices as businesses were hit with a duty rise on Friday 1 February.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association is calling for clarity from the UK government on its post no deal tariff plans, warning that any no deal Brexit will see wine prices hit an all-time high.

In the same week that the secretary of state signed a joint statement on trade collaboration, some of the WSTA team led a group of English wine and British gin producers on a trade mission, which - for the first time - was jointly funded by the UK government.

Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association has praised the decision made by chancellor of the exchequer Philip Hammond to freeze UK wine and spirits duty.

The WSTA wants ‘the right’ Brexit deal with the EU to ensure trade is uninterrupted now that wine is the UK’s sixth most exported food and drink product.

British pubs are facing a tax raid of £1bn over the next five years, according to research conducted by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

The chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, Miles Beale has warned that ministers in the UK parliament need to set aside differences and produce a clear plan for Brexit or trade will suffer.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has announced Lord Price, minister of state for international trade and Wetherspoon boss, Tim Martin as keynote speakers at this year’s WSTA Annual Conference this September.

Wine and Spirit Trade Association CEO Miles Beale, has called for the government to follow through with its Brexit negotiations.

The latest HMRC figures have revealed that sales of spirits have brought more money to the Treasury than beer for the first time in history.

WSTA chief executive officer Miles Beale believes the UK can use Brexit to boost spirit export numbers after 45 new distilleries emerged in 2016.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association believes that recommendations made by the House of Lords in their report on the Legislation Act 2003 would ‘not be sensible’.

The UK chief medical officer’s responsible drinking guidelines are entirely out of kilter with the rest of the world and out of touch with reality, according to WSTA’s Miles Beale. 

Leaving the EU would lead to a more uncertain trading environment, loss of access to the single market and the absence of a UK voice at the table to shape EU regulation by which the industry would still be bound, according to the WSTA chief executive. 

Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) chief executive Miles Beale, has criticised the UK government’s so-called ‘Alcohol Duty Escalator’ which has seen the tax on wine and spirits rise by up to 50%.

A long, hot summer did nothing to boost the UK on-trade’s fortunes, the sector's volume sales having shrunk 6% in the last 12 weeks, according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association.

Total alcohol sales continue to fall according to the latest Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) market report.

The Wine & Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) has welcomed the latest figures from the UK government’s Office of National Statistics (ONS) showing that the majority of people are drinking within weekly guideline amounts and increased awareness of alcohol units.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has warned that changes to customs classifications at EU level could lead to an increase in excise duty and VAT for some made-wine* products in the UK.

The WSTA has slammed UK Government proposals for a 45p minimum unit price for alcohol, branding the strategy untargeted and unfair.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association, the lead body for the UK wine and spirits sectors, has announced the appointment of Miles Beale as its new chief executive.