UK change designed to steer people to lower-alcohol drinks
Increases to alcohol duties are expected to filter through to local hostelries in the coming days.
It follows changes announced in the UK, designed to steer people onto lower alcohol drinks.
Draft beers up to 4 per cent are unaffected by the changes, but bottled beers, draught Cider, spirits and still wines will all be subject to raised levels of taxation.
The UK Treasury refers to the changes as new common sense principles based on the drink's strength. Not everybody within or outside the drinks industry would necessarily agree.
In effect most wines and spirits will go up in price, whereas lower alcohol drinks, sparkling wines and draught beers won't change.
It's estimated a typical bottle of wine with an alcohol by volume of 12 per cent will rise by around 44 pence. Stronger wines with an ABV above 15 per cent will go up by almost £1.
So, if your tipple of choice is a spirit, fortified wine, sherry or port you may wish to pour yourself a strong one.
Of course some supermarkets and pubs may choose to absorb some of the increases.
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