Cider industry dismayed by Tory duty plan

The cider industry has reacted strongly to last week's speech at the Conservative Party Conference by shadow home secretary Chris Grayling.

Chair of the National Association of Cider Makers (NACM) Henry Chevallier said: "There is nothing new in this policy statement and we will again seek urgent discussions with the Conservatives to explain how their policy on duty misses the intended target as it fails to tackle why a small minority of people misuse alcohol.

"Indeed there is less comfort to be taken from the speech by Chris Grayling, especially for smaller craft cider makers, than was the case when they first unveiled this policy back in March 2008.

"By 'super strength' we understand that the Conservatives mean cider above 5.5% abv and beer above 6% abv - why the difference? Indeed, if it is felt this approach has merit, why would levels for wines and spirits not be considered as well?

"Seeking to tackle alcohol misuse by targeting a few forms of alcohol or drinks at certain levels of alcohol will not work. It misses the point entirely and means we divert attention and resources from finding solutions to address alcohol misuse and the serious problems created for the minority that drink to excess and the people around them.

"The fact is that cider naturally ferments to above 6% abv because of the sugars present in the apple juice.

"Around 90% of cider enjoyed in the UK is already at or below 5.5% and the products above the so called 'super strength' threshold include nearly all the premium and artisan ciders produced by smaller scale producers.

"These products are generally sold at a price premium in excess of 25% and no-one can sensibly suggest they represent 'problem drinks' so where is the logic in doubling the duty on them - it hits consumers who want to enjoy a quality product of local provenance and it damages the many small businesses trying to make a living. This will add risk and adversely affect rural jobs.

"The fact is there are not problem drinks but a small minority of problem drinkers - to believe otherwise will simply displace a problem that deserves to be addressed. It will have serious and potentially unforeseen consequences for ordinary people who enjoy alcohol responsibly and the producers and retailers that operate legitimately and responsibly to offer consumer choice.

"Our frustration, and one shared by the drinks industry as a whole, is that policies on alcohol are not evidence based, and are often presented in highly emotive terms focusing on the visibility of certain forms of misuse and not looking to address root causes. "So we get flawed proposals that punish responsible consumers and producers and we miss the opportunity to do something to tackle a serious issue that blights the lives of people who misuse alcohol and those around them.

"It does appear that the Conservatives also want to address the issue of under-age sales with measures that impact (unfairly) on producers when they are not involved at the point of purchase. People under 18 obtaining alcohol is a serious issue to tackle, but it requires effective enforcement and not new initiatives designed to generate publicity.

"Legislation already exists to tackle the issue of under-age sales assuming there is the will and the resources to enforce those laws. It is unclear why the Tories want to introduce more laws to deal with something already covered by existing legislation? "In some quarters, cider has an undeserved reputation as a 'problem drink'. The cider market in the UK is around 6% of total alcohol and 'strong' cider, above say 6% abv, is less than 10% of the total cider market.

"So strong cider is around 0.5% of total alcohol and this figure is reducing as consumer preferences change and as producers, generally, reduce the levels of alcohol. Hence it is flawed and ill-informed logic to suggest that 0.5% of all alcohol has a significant role in 'fuelling binge Britain'.

"As an industry we are not complacent and we want to work with all political parties, government and other agencies to tackle alcohol misuse. To do so we need to understand the relationship society and individuals have with alcohol - why do some people misuse alcohol rather than what form of alcohol do some people misuse.

"Targeting certain drinks and seeking to reduce the consumption of those drinks through duty or price alone will not work. The reality is that we will not reduce the number of people who misuse alcohol - the evidence is that consumption will be displaced to other forms of alcohol or illegal drugs."