• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Major changes to alcohol prices in the UK 'to be announced this week'

Home> News> UK News

Published 11:21 21 Nov 2023 GMT

Major changes to alcohol prices in the UK 'to be announced this week'

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will deliver the Autumn Statement tomorrow and there could be a rise in prices

Jess Battison

Jess Battison

Buying a round of pints for you and your mates used to feel like the normal thing to do.

But nowadays it’s starting to feel like something you practically have to budget for - and it could be getting worse.

Tomorrow (22 November) Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will deliver his Autumn Statement.

This is where the Government updates the Commons on the state of the economy and also typically announces any tax and spending decisions.

Advert

Among rumoured income tax cuts, a living wage rise and tougher sanctions for benefits, there could be changes to alcohol duty.

This is the tax charged at the point of production or importation for drinks with an alcoholic strength over 1.2 percent abv and it differs from beers, wines and spirits.

So yeah, you guessed it, we’re talking about a potential rise in the price for your favourite tipple.

Multiple reports suggest that tomorrow’s statement could see a rise in alcohol duty, in line with the retail price index at 8.9 percent.

The price of pints could go up if a rise is announced.
Getty Stock Image

Advert

According to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) if the duty increases, the average price of a bottle of red wine would go up to a mega £8 from £7.72.

This would be the second rise in alcohol duty in just four months, following an increase on 1 August which saw alcohol taxed on strength.

And the average price of a bottle of gin or vodka is also expected to go over £18 for the first time.

Now prepare yourself, if the alcohol duty isn’t frozen in tomorrow’s statement, pints could go up by 20p - making a night at the pub that bit more expensive.

Landlords, brewers and distillers are pleading for the Chancellor to freeze alcohol duty, to prevent yet another rise in prices.

Advert

August's change saw alcohol taxed by strength.
Getty Stock Image

Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the WSTA, said: “We are calling for a freeze for the remainder of this Parliament to prevent budget busting price rises.

“In August the Treasury introduced the largest alcohol tax hike for almost 50 years adding over 10% duty increase for spirits and over 20% increase for 4 out of 5 wines of all wine sold in the UK.

“A further rise would make a mockery of the Government’s priority is to cut inflation as further prices rises will lead to reduced sales and less revenue to the Exchequer.”

He also previously added that a second duty rise on alcohol ‘could prove the final nail in the coffin for some British drinks businesses’.

Advert

LADbible has contacted HM Treasury for comment.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images

Topics: Money, Food And Drink, UK News

Jess Battison
Jess Battison

Jess is a Senior Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include asking everyone in the office what they're having for tea, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021.

X

@jessbattison_

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • US burger restaurant ‘better than McDonald’s’ set to open first store in UK this week
  • Millions of Nationwide customers in UK will be given free money from this week
  • McDonald's makes major change to fan favourite Filet-O-Fish for first time in 50 years
  • Brits warned about five UK favourite beer brands that have slashed alcohol strength recently

Choose your content:

2 hours ago
3 hours ago
4 hours ago
  • 2 hours ago

    Man horrified to discover his new home is actually someone else's Airbnb

    Ben Echianu, from Manchester, branded the woman whom he believes posed as a landlord as 'heartless'

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Christian Horner releases statement after being sacked by Red Bull after 20 years

    Horner shared a lengthy statement on social media

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Donald Trump shuts down reporter who asked Jeffrey Epstein question following release of CCTV footage

    It seems the US President deems the topic to be no longer up for discussion

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Cardiologist who had heart attack warns people to not 'make same mistake' over little-known warning sign

    The irony isn't lost on Dr William Wilson

    News