Les amateurs de vin s’aperçoivent que les marques populaires Hardys et Blossom Hill ont réduit leur teneur en alcool, suscitant leur mécontentement. Ce changement fait suite à une augmentation des taxes sur les boissons alcoolisées plus fortes par le gouvernement britannique, entraînant des prix en hausse et une diminution de l’ABV. Par exemple, Blossom Hill White Zinfandel est passé de 11% à 8,5% pour £5,75. Les critiques soulignent une déception face à ces modifications, dénonçant une qualité affaiblie et une perte de choix.
Wine enthusiasts are just beginning to notice that popular brands Hardys and Blossom Hill have had their alcohol content decreased, leaving many upset about their diluted selections.
This modification follows the previous government’s hike in taxes on stronger alcoholic beverages, leading to a reduction in alcohol levels across wines, beers, and spirits.
For instance, a 75cl bottle of Blossom Hill White Zinfandel had an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 11% two years ago, priced at £5.25 with a Tesco Clubcard discount.
Currently, it costs £5.75 and its ABV is now at 8.5%.
One customer remarked, “I wouldn’t mind if they still had the original recipe available for a higher price, but they have taken our choice away without informing us and are now trying to sell us a diluted version of the wine we adored.”
Another customer labeled it a “glorified Shloer,” commenting that it was “pale in color and overpriced.”
Shloer is a non-alcoholic sparkling grape beverage.
Additionally, the brand’s red wine has seen a decline from 12.5% to 10.5%, and it has faced backlash for now being produced in Spain instead of California.
One review of the red wine stated: “Not even worth half a star. It used to be Californian at 12.5% ABV… now it’s Spanish at 10.5%… and guess what, it’s also 75p more expensive.”
“Forget it, Tesco tastes nasty, watery, and has no body to it. Very disappointed with Blossom Hill. Extremely disappointed with Tesco.”
Blossom Hill Rosé has also decreased from 11% to 10.5% over the past year, with its price increasing by 50p to £5.50.
Several Hardys wines have likewise experienced a reduction in strength.
As an example, Hardys Stamp Shiraz Cabernet was reduced from 13.5% ABV to 11% in 2023, while the price rose from £5 to £5.25.
One reviewer stated, “One star because the ABV has quietly dropped from 13.5% to 11.5%. I used to buy it regularly, never again.”
The Hardys Stamp Chardonnay Semillon White Wine has fallen from 13% to 11% ABV, with the cost rising by 25p.
Neither Hardys nor Blossom Hill has provided an explanation for these changes.
However, it is likely tied to the UK Government’s alcoholic beverage duty reforms initiated in August of last year, which resulted in the most significant increases in alcoholic beverage duty in nearly half a century.
The duty on a bottle of still wine increased by 20% or 44p, based on an average alcohol strength of 12.5% ABV.
Wines with an ABV of 11% incur a duty of £2.35 per bottle, while those between 11.5% and 14.5% face a flat tax rate of £2.67.
This has led many producers to lower their offerings to 11% ABV.
Starting February, duty rates will shift again with a new tax structure designed to penalize higher alcohol content drinks, as Labour advanced this change in the latest Budget.
Under this new framework, the uniform duty charged on wines between 11.5% and 14.5% ABV – £2.67 – will be replaced with increasingly higher rates depending on the alcohol strength.
Consequently, a 75cl bottle of wine at 14.5% ABV will see its duty rise from £2.67 to £3.21 per bottle, based on a projected RPI rate of 3.65%.
In contrast, an 11% bottle will have a significantly lower duty of £2.43, reflecting a substantial difference of 78p.
This collection of diluted wines has been labeled “Rishi wines,” named after the former Prime Minister who advocated for the reforms.
Miles Beale, CEO of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, expressed his confusion regarding Labour’s support for a tax structure reminiscent of Rishi Sunak’s proposals, especially when “many wine retailers and businesses” warned it would hinder economic growth.
He further stated, “The choices made in this Budget are a harsh blow for everyone; they will stifle British business growth, add