WSTA hits out over pub trade proposals
The Wine & Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) has hit back at on-trade proposals to create a level playing field with the supermarkets.
Reacting to proposals set out by the pub, bar and club industry this morning, the WSTA took issue with a number of items on the agenda.
While it agrees there should be a ban on below cost sales of alcohol in supermarkets — it defines this as duty plus VAT, contrary to the definition the on-trade would like to see used, which includes the cost of production.
"The WSTA supports a ban on selling alcohol beneath duty and VAT and has been actively engaged in conversations with Government for some time about how "below cost" could be defined to ensure a ban would not distort the market, unfairly penalise small businesses and wholesalers and avoid costly administration and bureaucracy," said WSTA chief executive Jeremy Beadles.
Beadles also disparaged the idea that current policy promoted drinking at home in unsupervised environments.
"We agree that there should be a greater emphasis on personal responsibility and it should be exercised by adults whether they choose to buy a drink in a pub or from a shop for consumption at home," he said.
"Suggesting that people shouldn't drink at home because it is unsupervised and unregulated seems contradictory."
Finally the WSTA took a pop at the call to re-balance the tax system "to encourage the choice of lower strength drinks like beer".
Beadles warned: "A vibrant pub and club sector is vital to the wine and spirits trade but we fail to see how tax increases for wine and spirits to fund decreases in beer duty will help either pubs or hard-pressed consumers."
