Whisky industry leaders welcome Budget freeze on spirits
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The Scotch Whisky Association has welcomed the continued freeze on spirits and additional support for the industry through a green energy fund.
It comes while the industry continues to face a 25 per cent tariff imposed on Single Malt by the US government under a transatlantic trade dispute between aircraft manufacturers.
The duty rate on spirits remains £28.74 per litre of pure alcohol, meaning that of the £14.61 average price of a bottle of Scotch Whisky, £10.49 is collected in taxation through duty and VAT.
The tax burden on Scotch Whisky remains 72%.
A 25 per cent tariff on exports of Single Malt Scotch Whisky and liqueurs to the United States has been in place since October, last year, and the SWA had called on the Chancellor to cut duty on Scotch Whisky to help support the industry during a challenging time.
As well as freezing duty, the Chancellor announced a £10m R&D fund to help the industry achieve its net-zero ambitions and additional support to promote Scotland’s food and drink exports, including Scotch Whisky.
In addition, the SWA has said a review of alcohol taxation, announced in the Queen’s Speech, will pave the way for fairer taxation for Scotch Whisky.
Spirits continue to be taxed at a higher rate per unit of alcohol than any other category – 16 per cent more than wine and 256 per cent more than cider.
Karen Betts, chief executive of the SWA, said: “We welcome the fact that excise duty on spirits has been frozen for nearly three years and the Chancellor’s announcement today that excise duty will not rise further.
"However, our industry needs continued support, through the upcoming review of UK alcohol taxation and while our exports remain subject to US tariffs.
“The fact remains that duty on spirits in the UK is already very high and puts Scotch Whisky at a competitive disadvantage to wine, beer and cider, with £3 in every £4 spent on an average-price bottle of Scotch Whisky going to the government in tax.
"The review of alcohol taxation is an important opportunity to address that. The Treasury should move quickly to ensure that alcohol taxation is clearer for consumers, fairer for producers and that it supports important domestic products like Scotch Whisky."
Ms Betts continued: “Our industry also continues to face significant damage to exports to the US, our largest and most valuable market, because of a 25 per cent tariff imposed on Single Malt Scotch Whisky by the US government as a result of a long-running dispute between American and European aircraft manufacturers.
“We are pleased that the Chancellor underlined the UK government’s commitment to resolving these damaging tariffs quickly, while also announcing measures to support Scotch Whisky in a challenging period – including through a green energy fund to support our industry’s leading work to decarbonise the energy we use and achieve net-zero, and new funds for export promotion.
“We look forward to working with government and others to implement these policies and ensure that Scotch Whisky can continue to grow and contribute to the UK economy.”
Meanwhile financial support for Scotland’s food and drink industry and funding for gigabit-capable broadband has been welcomed by Scottish Land & Estates.
The rural business organisation also said it was pleased tax relief on red diesel for agricultural business had been retained in today’s Budget at Westminster.
Sarah-Jane Laing, Chief Executive of Scottish Land & Estates, said: “There are many positive announcements in the budget to help Scotland’s rural economy.
"We welcome further funding to promote Scottish food and drink overseas and given the current economic uncertainty, we were pleased to see fuel duty – which is particularly pertinent to rural workers travelling longer distances – frozen for another year.
“Whilst we acknowledge the long-term need to move to cleaner fuels, it is also good news for Scottish farming that tax relief on red diesel for agriculture will be retained.
“The Chancellor announced £5bn to get gigabit-capable broadband into the hardest to reach places in the UK as well as £510m in the shared rural mobile phone network.
"Those living in Scotland’s rural communities will be delighted by this announcement but we await the detail of how this will actually be delivered.
"An improved communications network is something which is long-overdue and requires a cooperative approach from both governments, telecoms providers and other stakeholders.”
