Students flocked to our Essex Taxpayers’ Alliance action day at the University of Essex near Colchester to support our Cut Cider Tax campaign.
A petition to axe the Cider Tax escalator, which increases the duty on cider by 2% above inflation every year, attracted 120 signatures on the day.
‘Cutting cider tax will leave more money in students’ pockets,’ says Essex University student Alex Evelyn. ‘It will boost local pubs and brewers by encouraging people to drink there, rather than buying cheap supermarket brands and drinking at home.’
A quarter of the price of every pint of cider you buy is taken in tax. That means that for every four pints you buy at the bar, you also have to pay out for a fifth one for George Osborne. The extra costs have put a lot of people off of drinking in their local pub, or buying local brews.
‘My dad was a pub landlord,’ said one supporter. ‘Between alcohol duties, the smoking ban, health and safety and cheap competition from supermarkets, small businesses are just being squeezed out.’
Pressure to repeal the cider tax escalator has built since the beer duty escalator was abolished last year. We hope our campaign on cider tax will be just as successful this year. Naturally, TPA supporters rewarded themselves with a pint of cider and raised a toast to the plan to abolish this unfair tax!