New alcohol rules in pubs and supermarkets with drinkers warned to 'brace themselves'

Alcohol prices in pubs and supermarkets are set to be pushed up. Changes to tax on alcohol, packaging and employers are set to hit drinkers in the pocket, pubs and industry experts are warning, in a brutal blow to boozers.

Alcohol duty typically goes up in line with inflation each year, but two years ago it was frozen until February 2025. Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association told The Sun that the "never-ending assault" on wines and spirit businesses mean consumers need to brace themselves to "pay substantially more for their favourite products".

It means producers will have to hike the price of beer, wine and spirits to offset raised levies. Emma McClarkin, chief of the British Beer and Pub Association, told The Sun these changes leave hospitality businesses on a "cliff edge".

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She said: "Brewers and pubs pour billions into the economy and Treasury, support more than a million jobs and are a cornerstone of the community. However, we face a cliff edge in April when a staggering £650m extra in costs will kick in, including the ending of vital business rates relief, new employer costs, and the beer bottle tax."

The industry leader said these changes could "lead to businesses being forced to pass on extra costs to customers". Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA said: “The wine and spirit sector will be relieved that the chancellor has spared them a further duty hike. This will help to keep price rises down for consumers for a period.

"Six months ago, alcohol duty was subjected to the largest increase in almost 50 years. Those tax increases fuelled inflation and had a negative impact on sales, which in turn has seen Treasury lose around £600 million in alcohol revenue.

"We are pleased that government has now recognised that duty hikes are bad for businesses, bad for consumers and bad for the Exchequer.”