The following statement is an example of a wine industry lobbyist disappearing up his own backside. In reaction to Mr Darling’s most recent raise in alcohol excise duty, Jeremy Beadles of the Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) said the following:-
“The Chancellor has turned into Santa Claws, snatching scarce pleasure from millions of people… It is 
staggering that a Government which claims to act in the interests of the many, not the few, wishes to punish ordinary, hard-working consumers who wish to spend the little cash they have left on a drink”
What utter tosh, Mr Beadles. We understand that you exist to serve your industry (right or wrong). You must be seen to be taking a tough stand but how much port did you have at the company Christmas party to come out with such an inappropriate and misjudged statement?
I can safely say that not one of my “hard-working” (not to mention lazy for that matter) friends or colleagues have come up to me and said “I’m really down. Drinking cheap wine at Christmas is the only scarce pleasure I get at Christmas. I know I should be saving my money to buy a present for Tiny Tim but I was intending to p*ss the little cash I have left up the wall on cheap booze”.
Beadle(s), who are you to speak for the hard-working people of Britain – you speak for the paymasters you represent and don’t pretend otherwise. We may have sympathy for (some) producers and suppliers, but get a grip man. People who have either lost or are about to lose their jobs are worried about paying mortgages and feeding/clothing their kids. They’re not in despair about not being able to afford a couple of bottles of vino.
Meanwhile in the real world:-
- Threshers and Wine Rack 40% off all wines and spirits
- Tesco (just finished) 20% of all wines
- Laithwaites £50 off introductory case offer
- M&S Wines up to 33% off
- Waitrose save 50%
And while we’re at it, Decanter magazine covered this story with the following opening salvo ”The vast majority of shoppers will be paying more for wine this Christmas after the government’s duty hike to the fury of the UK drinks industry.”
Our message to Decanter is – get some backbone. Your tone too often panders to your advertisers and too often you blatantly editorialise where you should be reporting. Send your kids back to Journo school.
