After sustained pressure from the industry to revise the existing alcohol duty system, the Treasury is conducting a review this year. You can have your say.

Spirits duty is too high; it isn’t sustainable. The Gin Guild will be calling for a comprehensive review that ends the unfair treatment of spirits, removing ABV-based differential taxation, whilst acknowledging that the category specific health assumptions are flawed and the reforms have led to a £1.1 billion revenue shortfall.

  • Spirits have been unfairly treated, with beer and cider getting preferential treatment.
  • We want to challenge assumptions around spirits: a unit is a unit in whatever form it comes. Higher strength does not equate to greater harm. One unit of alcohol equals 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol, and the total number of units in a drink depends on both the size of the serve as well as the alcohol strength of the base liquid.
  • Spirits support the broader hospitality sector, including our beloved pubs, and must be supported.

We are encouraging all UK Gin Guild members from across the UK to respond. You can email your evidence to alcoholevaluation@hmrc.gov.uk by 1 June 2026.

Things to include:

  • What has been the effect of increased excise duty on your business?
  • What impact have duty increases had on your growth plans?
  • What impact would a further increase have?
  • What has been the impact of duty increases on other businesses that you supply to, such as pubs?

To spread the word, please share a link to the consultation amongst industry colleagues and online.

HAVE YOUR SAY – CONSULTATION CLOSES 1st JUNE