The UK government has recently unveiled a plan to revamp wine regulations post-Brexit. These changes could inject £180m / $222m into the sector, according to the Food and Drink Secretary. The proposals will allow wine makers more freedom to choose from a wider range of vines, including disease-resistant options, as well as enabling the production of new blends, and the transformation of imported wine into sparkling wine. The government hopes to remove the “expensive and cumbersome” packaging requirements, such as ending the mandatory requirement for certain sparkling wines to have foil caps and mushroom stoppers.
Domestic wine makers will no longer have to go through the previously EU-mandated application processes to show the variety and vintage of any wine. The new proposals will also affect the UK’s growing domestic wine industry, as well as those importing to the country. The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill has allowed large changes to be made to the body of law retained post-Brexit. The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has welcomed the proposed changes, stating that by introducing greater flexibility, wine producers and importers will be able to innovate without being forced to change how they operate.
The reforms will allow businesses bringing bulk wine into the UK to blend, benefiting importers, bottlers, and ultimately consumers, while the changes in labeling will allow the use of a common back label in both EU and UK markets. The proposals have been received with excitement by the wine sector, with Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, Miles Beale, saying that the new regulations will enable new product lines to be produced, reduce bureaucracy, and lower costs for producers.
Overall, it is hoped that these changes will boost the country’s economy, create new jobs, and support a vital part of the UK’s food and drink sector. Despite being a small wine producing market on a global scale, the UK has been growing consistently in recent years and is expected to become more prominent as the climate changes and makes the country more favorable for vineyards. Furthermore, the UK is one of the top three wine importers globally in volume terms. A consultation on the proposed changes will be launched shortly.
