UK: Brewers urge beer tax cut as part of new manifesto

The BBPA is hoping to score a hat-trick of duty level cuts

Brewers operating in the UK are calling for further cuts to beer duty levels as part of a new sector-wide manifesto launched today (10 July).

Trade body the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) said that forcing the UK Government to cut beer duty again in next year's Budget remains its “top priority”. In his last two Budgets, Chancellor George Osborne has reduced the duty level on beer after intense lobbying by the industry.

The BBPA said: “Fairer taxes are a top priority ... the UK beer tax burden remains disproportionately high, compared with most of the UK’s European neighbours.”

The manifesto, which sets out the BBPA's “vision” for 2020, also calls for:

• Beer to remain a “priority” within the Government's Food and Drink Export strategy
• A look at how to “improve” the small brewer relief system

It also includes a host of measures to improve trading conditions for the UK pub sector.

Brigid Simmonds, the BBPA's chief executive, said: “With the General Election just months away, our focus is on persuading politicians that with the right policies, we can have a thriving beer and pub sector serving local communities, and with investment and employment growth.

"Our manifesto will help us to make a clear and strong case on all these issues, with a further duty cut in the Budget in March 2015 our immediate priority.”

The UK's next General Election is due to take place on 7 May next year.

The BBPA's members include Anheuser-Busch InBev, SABMiller, Carlsberg, Heineken and Molson Coors.