NOffLA keeps up MUP pressure
“The cross-border trading market is already saturated due to high excise duties and so MUP should have no meaningful impact,” stated NOffLA recently, “Should Government wish to reduce the levels of cross-border trade, excise duties should be revised downward.
“NOffLA welcomes the news that Government may agree a timeline for the commencement of Minimum Unit Pricing in the coming weeks,” stated Evelyn Jones, NOffLA’s Government Affairs Director, “But we’re calling for the immediate commencement of MUP as a means of promoting public health through clamping down on reckless retailing and saving money to the Exchequer through reduced Below-Invoice-Cost Selling. Narrow sectoral interests should not be given precedence over this public health initiative.
“It’s important to remember that MUP will not impact the vast majority of alcohol products. This is a targeted measure at ultra-cheap alcohol, aimed at protecting the most vulnerable in our society.
“Government is now progressing responsible, targeted alcohol pricing policy in the form of MUP and so we must look to roll-back the draconianly high levels of excise charged in this country. Excise has shown to be wholly ineffective as a consumption-control measure and so we’re calling on the Minister for Finance to reduce the level of excise duty in Budget 2020 in conjunction with commencing MUP.”
NOffLA also conducted its annual Members’ Survey last month with a significant increase in the level of responses when compared with recent years and it has sent in its annual Pre-Budget Submission calling on Government to reduce the level of excise duty and equalise the level of wine taxation with other alcohol tax bands.
The Submission will be shared with the relevant Ministers, officials and parliamentarians in the coming weeks, it stated recently.
