Bibendum CEO ‘campaigner of the year’

Bibendum’s CEO has been named the Wine and Spirit Trade Association’s first Wine Category Campaigner of the Year at its annual Budget 2015 Campaign Parliamentary Reception.

Saunders was presented his award by Peter Richards MW

Michael Saunders, CEO of the Bibendum PLB Group, was given the award in recognition for his support of the Call Time on Duty Campaign, which sought to scrap the UK’s alcohol duty escalator. 

Presented by Peter Richards MW, the award recognises the contribution that Saunders has made within the wine trade to back the campaign, having encouraged the largest number of people within the industry to write to their MP of any individual WSTA member.

The reception was held in the House of Commons last Wednesday and was also a chance for the WSTA to kick start its calls for a further 2% cut to alcohol duty in this year’s 2015 budget.

Michael Saunders, CEO of the Bibendum PLB Group said: “The WSTA has done a great job with the Call Time on Duty campaign and I felt it was my duty, as someone who works within the industry, to support it as strongly as possible. I am delighted to receive this award, but I believe I have done what everyone within our industry should be doing.

“The work that the WSTA has done to date is brilliant, but we must now look to 2015 and demand with more, unified, and louder voices that the Government recognises the industry’s massive contribution to the economy, jobs, growth and pubs and rebalances duty further in Budget 2015 – the industry must work together.”