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News
Anger at British beer duty rate
Drinkers in Britain, Ireland and Finland pay the highest rate of beer duty in the European Union, according to latest figures from the British Beer & Pub Association.
According to the figures, British beer drinkers pay over nine times the rate of duty as German consumers and seven times as much as the French.
British pub-goers pay more in duty on a single pint than the combined duty on five pints from each of the five other largest member states – Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland.
The figures, compiled by the Axe the Beer Tax, Save the Pub campaign, are released just as the UK and the rest of the EU holds elections to the European Parliament between 4 and 7 June.
The campaign is calling on the Government to reduce tax on beer, with six pubs closing every day. More than 70,000 people have joined or supported the campaign, including over 200 MPs.
The trade saw alcohol duty increased by 2% above inflation in the recent Budget, following an 18% per cent increase in 2008. This year’s Budget increase is being debated in Parliament as part of the Finance Bill.
David Long, chief executive of the BBPA, said: “These figures show that British beer drinkers are being taxed at rates far in excess of most of their European counterparts.
“The result is that pub closures are now running at six a day, with thousands of jobs being lost in the British beer and pub industry.
“A great British institution is under serious threat and yet the government appears to be determined to ignore concerns expressed by consumers, the industry and politicians of all parties.”
Long hopes that by highlighting the excise duty rates imposed on British drinkers compared to their European counterparts, politicians involved in the upcoming European elections will take note of the scale of the crisis facing the British pub industry.
“With elections to the European Parliament taking place next week, beer lovers will note the extent to which they are being taxed above and beyond other consumers in the rest of the EU,” he said.
“We hope that those MEPs elected as a result of these elections will stand up for British beer lovers and the great British pub.”
Alan Lodge, 02.06.2009