Coca-Cola Amatil and Beam Global Spirits and Wine have announced a new 10-year agreement, allowing CCA to continue the manufacture, sales and distribution of the Beam premium spirits portfolio – including Jim Beam, DeKuyper, Laphroaig, Maker’s Mark, Courvoisier, Canadian Club and Teacher’s. Australia represents Beam Global’s second largest market in the world, with Jim Beam Bourbon taking the top spot in spirit sales, and Jim Beam and Cola topping the ready-to-drink sales. In... ...Read more »

According to new figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the apparent consumption of ready-to-drink pre-mixed alcoholic beverages fell by 30% in 2008-09, reversing an upward trend for the last four years, based on the quantity of alcohol produced and sold. Apparent consumption dropped from 18.7 million litres in 2007-08 – 1.08 litres per person – to 13.1 million litres, or 0.74 litres per person. By contrast, spirits showed a rise in apparent consumption, from 20.2 million... ...Read more »

A study by Roy Morgan has shown increased consumption of cider and spirits in 2009, and a drop in the number of drinkers of ready-to-drink premixed beverages, known as RTDs or ‘alcopops’. In December 2009, the estimated number of cider drinkers in Australia was up 45%, to 549,000, over an estimated 379,000 at the same time in 2008 – around 3.3% of Australia’s drinking-age population.  Spirits consumption was up 4.6%, with an extra 200,000 new drinkers. The RTD market lost... ...Read more »

Rumours abound of interest from Australia’s largest supermarket operator in the nation’s market share leader in RTD (ready-to-drink) alcoholic beverages, as they look to give their private share alcohol products a boost. Fairfax has today reported that Woolworths has been exploring the possibility of a purchase of, or strategic alliance with, Independent Liquor. The report suggested the private equity-owned group would be worth in the vicinity of $700 million (NZ$873m), just three years... ...Read more »

The 70 per cent tax hike on ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages (alcopops) has received Senate approval five months after being rejected by Senators. The permanent hike was introduced at last year’s budget and was added to the price of drinks before being approved by Parliament. The rejection of the Bill in March by the Senate meant that the funds raised should be delivered back to distillers, but the passing of a separate Bill validated the tax that had already been received. The Coalition... ...Read more »

The Federal Opposition has today confirmed that it will now support the controversial alcopops tax despite maintaining that it will not help fix the binge drinking issue. The 70 per cent tax hike on alcopops was introduced last year but was voted down in the Senate in March. Since then a Bill has been passed to validate the tax raised prior to the Senate’s rejection, with the Bill being reintroduced today by Labor. Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton argued that the legislation is nothing... ...Read more »

A minimum price per standard drink should be introduced as part of an overhaul of alcohol taxes, according to an editorial published in The Medical Journal of Australia. Dr Steven Skov, writing on behalf of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians Alcohol Advisory Group, also argues the alcopops tax has helped to reduce overall alcohol consumption in the community and should be reintroduced. “Reintroducing the alcopops tax is important but more comprehensive reform of alcohol taxation and... ...Read more »

Alcohol beverage distributor and manufacturer Independent Distillers fear the introduction of alcopops tax will cut jobs, not drinking. If new excise measures are passed by the Senate, this could mean the closure of its factory in Laverton – a loss of 135 jobs, and potentially a further 150 among suppliers and customers. It could also mean the company may have to consider moving operations overseas. Since the 70 per cent tax on ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages was introduced in April 2008... ...Read more »

The Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) has welcomed a decision by the Federal Government to resist increasing the tax on wine in the Budget released on Tuesday night. In the lead up to the Budget there had been reports of a tax hike for both beer and wine, but both were left alone as the Government continues to push their alcopops levy. The Government did, however, include a change to the definition of beer, designed to stop beer or wine-based “alcopops” being produced. “Given... ...Read more »

The Senate has today passed legislation validating the revenue raised from the failed alcopops tax Bill, ensuring $424 million in revenue will not get handed back to distillers. The 70 per cent tax was introduced last year but, with the Senate blocking the legislation earlier this year, new legislation was introduced to validate the revenue already raised. Health Minister Nicola Roxon continues to maintain that the tax is good policy and will again introduce legislation to make it permanent next... ...Read more »