The cider industry has been trying its hardest to help the economy recover in the last few years and, as one of the few industries that have achieved growth through the recent recession, is a true British success story. The huge duty increases announced today will undo much of this good work and the impact of such a significant price increase to the consumer will probably also be counterproductive in raising revenue for HMRC as well.
“The drinks industry and cider producers in particular will find the punitive increases in taxation a significant additional burden. We already have some of the highest rates of excise duty in the world and these increases are the latest in a long series of hikes that are very damaging and are costing tens of thousands of UK jobs.” said Matthew Showering, the Managing Director of Brothers Drinks Co Limited.
“Cider is much more expensive to produce than other types of drinks and it helps support the economy in many rural areas. We are a smallish company that pays a very large amount of tax. We employ 85 people and support many local suppliers here in Somerset. The extra increase in tax levied on cider over and above other categories will make it less competitive and I am sure the big brewers (almost all from overseas) will be glad of that.”
Have already seen a facebook group complaining about this and linking through to a #10 Downing Street Petition calling for a review. (http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Realciderbeerale/) Lets just hope these Labour wallys get kicked out in the next couple weeks and someone with a bit of sense comes in and sorts this out!
This is rubbish, I don’t believe for a second the “it’ll stop binge drinking” arguement!
I can’t help but think that the governement have latched onto the cider industry as a growth industry therefore somewhere to bump up the tax to collect more money!
But maybe that is just the cynic in me!
we will fight for the rights of cider drinkers all over the west country and even as far as birmingham! we have costumes and a placarrrd. we will venture off of the farrrm down london towwn, utilising the national express bus serrrvice aaand make our feelings clear to the no good lagerr drinking pillocks in charge
lots of love
ur “brothers”-in-arms
goblin and penguin
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