Alcohol taxes go up

66Mustang

Hoping to start a friendly discussion.

- tax on a bottle of spirits has gone up by around £1 on average (depends on strength)

- tax on wine has gone up around 50p (depends on strength)

- tax on beer and cider from shops is up but not from the pub

For a £16 bottle of spirits around £12 of it is tax. The spirit only actually costs £4.

Of note the majority of the tax (i.e. the duty, not the VAT) is a flat rate so as a percentage cheaper spirits will go up more.

E.g. 

A £10 bottle of cheap vodka will be ~£11 so a 10% increase

A £30 bottle of good single malt will be ~£31 so a 3% increase

Disproportionately increasing the cost of living for poor people again?

That said, there are 28 units of alcohol in a £10 bottle of vodka and there are 28 units of alcohol in a £1,000 bottle of prestige cognac. Both bottles do the same amount of damage to the body. So surely it’s fair to make everyone pay the same?

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My opinion, just my opinion…as someone who used to have alcohol problems…I support putting the tax up by inflation especially if it raises more money for the government and I think people who have harmful habits should pay more as they will likely cost more…I now buy a nice bottle of whisky or cognac every few months instead of 2-3 cheap bottles a week so the tax increase doesn’t personally affect me as much.

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Interested to know your thoughts. 👍

dogsandcats

It sounds like you've got a much healthier relationship with alcohol nowadays! Congratulations on that, that must have been quite the journey to get to where you are now! I agree, its fair enough if the gov has to put taxes as it's harmful habits like you said. I do feel like the government should take a role in tackling the causes of alcoholism in the first place, i.e poverty, stress etc. What do you think?

Thanks for posing an interesting question by the way!

Sandy_123

I only ever buy it for gifts which is also rare. Probably an Irish coffee twice a year if that. I don't think the tax is on par with cigarettes which are way higher. Also supermarkets bundle deals on cases of alcohol will always be a good price. 

2oldcodgers

My attitude is to give up alcohol. I was always a social drinker then in 2004 I realised what it was doing to my body.
I ceased consuming any form of alcohol on the 1st May 2004

WelshBlue

From my experience as an ex-drinker and ex-smoker ... no matter the increase if you want them, you'll buy them ?  At least I did.  

Ironically the price of zero beer/ lager is on par with 4.5%'ers 

As you say, the lower earners are being hit again, but sadly it's the way of the world ?

Qu'ils mangent de la brioche ... as they quaff their champagne