Beer sales down

According to figures released by the GMB Union, compiled from Government data, the volume of on-trade beer sold in the UK in the year to September 2010 was down by 7.6% on the figure for the year to September 2009.
In contrast the off-trade saw 0.54% fall over the same period, and overall beer sales released for UK consumption in the year to September 2010 were down by 4.4%.
Hayley Brennan, GMB organiser for tied pub tenants, said: “Overcharging for wet and dry rents by the pubcos is rapidly killing the pub trade with sales in pubs down 37.8% on 2002 levels.  Customers are simply refusing to pay the additional pound per drink to pay these inflated rents.”
“Tenants are desperate and many fear that their pubs will not survive the rate of VAT increasing to 20% in January unless there is action by the Government to end the market abuse by pubcos.”


Elsewhere, research by Mintel, points to alcohol sales falling this Christmas.
In 2009, spending on alcohol fell a huge 9% to £37bn, from £40.5bn in 2008.
In real terms alcohol spend in the October-December period has declined from £11.5bn in 2000 to £10.4bn in 2009, costing the Government more than £1bn in lost revenue.

Still the Government insists on throwing money at fake charities such as Alcohol Concern and their bastard off spring Alcohol Concern Cymru to produce innacurate reports saying that alcohol use is on the up. Time for some Government cuts at the fake charity?