Budget 2010: Wine and spirits duty frozen
Wine lovers breathed a sigh of relief at the emergency Budget announcement earlier this week that alcohol tax is to be frozen, meaning they will not have to pay any more for their Burgundy and claret.
After several years of duty increases on alcohol - taxes on wine and spirits have risen by 26 per cent and 22 per cent respectively since 2008 - drinkers can at least look forward to a temporary respite after chancellor George Osborne's announcement.
Jeremy Beadles, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said the decision provides welcome relief for a sector that has struggled to accommodate tax increases.
"Repeated tax hikes have produced less revenue for the Treasury and punished responsible drinkers, while failing to tackle the problem of binge drinking," he went on to say.
The association recently called for better education to encourage responsible drinking, in response to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's recommendation to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol.