Looking ahead to the new year, the Chancellor’s decision to increase excise duty on spirits will have serious consequences for distilleries and their business operation.

However, following successive increases over recent years, the sector continues to face considerable pressure, particularly amid rising costs for businesses across the supply chain.

The Government has committed to an excise duty review, and we are committed to working with them on it to ensure our members’ views are represented and that the Government recognises the importance of British Spirits.

Spirits account for 1 in 3 drinks served in hospitality venues and support hundreds of thousands of jobs across the UK. From exports to local growth, our iconic distillers are a proven economic success story.

So if the Government is serious about growth, it must now listen to industry concerns and commit to meaningful reform at the next fiscal event.

Our next phase of activity will be about ensuring that the impact of the current duty regime is fully understood and that practical proposals for change are brought forward.