ACS

13 July 2010

HM treasury have released further detailes of the scope of the review of alcohol pricing referred to in the emergency budget. In a statement HM treasury set out the parameters of the review and invited interest groups to submit ideas and evidence to assist in their work.

In the statement they set out the main issues that will be considered, these are:

• potential options to increase the taxation of high-strength drinks; and
• other targeted measures that can directly impact on public order or public health outcomes.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: "If the Government wishes to change the basis on which different alcoholic drinks are taxed, it needs to have good evidence about why this is the most effective way of tackling problem drinking. We will help the Government to understand how different products are sold and consumed. The Government should wait for the evidence before arriving at tax policies that may or may not address the problems they wish to solve."

The Treasury also announced that from September 2010 ciders with a low juice content will no longer benefit from the preferential duty rate, and instead be subject to the same duty as made wine.