27/01/2009 - Sales fall blamed on beer duty rise
Beer industry sales fell by 8.3% in the final quarter of last year, prompting calls for Government help.
Compared with the same period in 2007, 2.2 million fewer pints of beer were bought every day in pubs, restaurants and shops.
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said it was the highest fourth-quarter fall since records began, blaming the Government's 18% rise in beer duty in 2008.
Rob Hayward, the BBPA's chief executive, said: "These figures highlight the extreme economic pressures hitting Britain's beer and pub sector. Beer sales are sinking and many pubs are struggling to survive.
"Unfortunately, government tax policy is only making a difficult situation worse. Due to the Government's tax escalator and VAT policy, we are facing two further tax increases this year alone.
"We are not asking for a tax handout, like other sectors. We just don't want our tax burden to be made worse. When it comes to stimulating the UK economy, the Government should not and must not turn a blind eye to Britain's beer and pub sector."
When we reach the 2012 budget, the BBPA claimed, the tax on a pint of beer will have increased by up to 40%.
Copyright © Press Association 2009
Related links
|
