Commenting on the news that the US have decided not to extend
crippling tariffs to British gin Miles Beale, Chief Executive of
the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said:
“The news that the US has decided not to escalate tariffs is
encouraging. This will come as a huge relief to the growing UK
British gin sector which has seen distilleries more than double
in number in the last five years. Our innovative British
distillers, particularly those working in the SME distilleries
that the WSTA represents, can breathe easy and raise a glass to
America.
This is the first important step in what should prove to be a
closer trading relationship, and should provide the necessary
space for constructive discussions between the US and UK
Governments, and for both administrations to work to remove the
remaining tariffs against Liqueurs, Bourbon and Scotch products –
and all wine products affected as well. Industry’s voice on both
sides of the Atlantic for a free and fair trade agenda is being
listened to and that is good for business and good for
consumers.”
British gin facts:
Last year saw over 83 million bottles of gin sold in the UK worth
around £2.6 billion, with gin sales almost doubling in value in
just two years.
The growth in gin sales began to emerge in 2013 when British
consumers started to show renewed interest in the juniper-based
spirit.
Over the next three years sales continued to grow at a steady
pace enticing entrepreneurs to invest in artisanal brands leading
to an explosion in new distilleries springing up across the
country.
In 2013 there were 152 distilleries in the UK, 96 of those were
in Scotland. Fast forward to latest numbers from 2019 and there
are at least 441 distilleries - and astonishingly it’s England
which now boasts the largest number distilleries, although
Scotland still has some of the largest.
The interest in British gin in the US was helped by a renewed
interest in all things British and love for shows like Downton
Abbey and the James Bond films.
According to latest HMRC figures, we exported £672 million worth
British gin in 2019, taking total gin sales, at home and abroad,
to over £3.2 billion.
