A petition calling on for the abolition of the beer duty escalator has hit 100,000 signatures – a landmark that brings closer a formal debate in the House of Commons.
The escalator was introduced four years ago and increases the tax on beer by 2% above the rate of inflation each year. Campaigners say it has led to job losses and pub closures.
Research by Oxford Economics for the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) suggested the policy had claimed 5,000 jobs this year alone. The BBPA claimed the £35m extra duty collected by the Treasury this year had been wiped out by the loss of revenue through job losses.
“Thanks to the huge numbers supporting the campaign, this should be a real wake-up call for the government,” said BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmons. “I hope even more people will now sign, as further huge annual tax hikes must not go ahead.”
Many brewers have spoken out against the tax, and today Molson Coors corporate affairs director Scott Wilson said the success of the petition showed how strongly the British public felt about the issue.
“We hear repeatedly that successive governments care deeply about brewing and the role of pubs in the community – which between them account for close to one million jobs in the UK – yet nothing changes,” Wilson said.
“This debate will hold current policymakers to account and strongly signals the public desire to put an end to excessive taxation on beer and pubs.”
The beer industry’s campaigning included a march on parliament earlier this year, organised by brewer Wychwood, when supporters donned masks of the figurehead of its Hobgoblin brand.
Reacting to the news that the petition had broken the 100,000 barrier, Hobgoblin marketing manager Chris Keating said: “This is the beginning of what will be a lengthy debate and we are glad that as an industry we have united to make the government take notice.”
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