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Selling beer, wine and spirits in the UK

In the UK, drinks above 1.2% alcohol show their alcoholic strength by volume. Spirit drinks have a minimum strength of 15% and must display the name they are sold under, which differs between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Wine has its own labelling rules, and producers pay Alcohol Duty to HMRC.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Alcohol strength
Shown on drinks above 1.2% by volume
Spirit drinks
At least 15%, with a set sales name
Wine
Its own labelling rules, from the FSA
Duty
Alcohol Duty, paid to HMRC
Northern Ireland
Some spirit rules differ there

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is it a spirit drink, wine, beer or something else? Read more
  2. 2What has to be on the label? Read more
  3. 3Does it use a geographical indication? Read more
  4. 4Is the producer approved, and is Alcohol Duty paid? Read more
  5. 5Is the business obligated for packaging? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Food labelling for alcoholic drinks

How the general food labelling rules apply to drinks with alcohol.

  • Drinks containing over 1.2% alcohol by volume show the alcoholic strength by volume as a percentage.

How we help: Compliant Always sets your label beside the particulars that apply to its category, with the source for each. Ask about this

Spirit drinks and wine

The category rules on top of the general labelling.

  • A spirit drink has a minimum alcohol strength of 15%, except egg liqueur (advocaat) at 14%.
  • The name the spirit is sold under is displayed on the label. In Great Britain it is the sales denomination; in Northern Ireland, the legal name.
  • Where a product meets a category in Annex II to retained Regulation 110/2008, such as rum, that category name is displayed.
  • A geographical indication registered in the UK GI register may supplement or replace the sales denomination.
  • The Food Standards Agency publishes the labelling requirements wine must meet to be sold in the UK.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the category, the name it is sold under and the evidence behind each with the product. Ask about this

Alcohol Duty

The duty approved producers pay to HMRC.

  • Approved alcoholic products producers pay the Alcohol Duty shown on their online return by the 25th of the month.
  • Producers have a 15-digit alcoholic products producer approval (APPA) ID.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the producer's approval and the product details that duty is worked out from, with each product. Ask about this

Packaging

Extended producer responsibility for bottles, cans and cases.

  • A UK business that supplied or imported more than 25 tonnes of packaging in the previous year, with a turnover of £1 million or more, is an obligated producer.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps your packaging specifications and weights with each product. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
Producer or brandThe label, the category and the name it is sold under, and Alcohol Duty where approved.The label checked against the category rules, with the paperwork behind it.
ImporterProducts made outside the UK, and the address on the label.The producer's documents read and dated before the goods arrive.
Packaging supplierBottles, cans and closures that meet the contact rules.Declarations collected once and shown to each customer that asks.

Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Some spirit drink rules differ between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including how the name of the spirit is displayed. Northern Ireland follows EU rules for goods under the Windsor Framework.

Questions businesses ask

Does a UK label have to show alcohol strength?
Yes, for drinks containing over 1.2% alcohol by volume: the alcoholic strength by volume, as a percentage.
What is the minimum strength of a spirit drink in the UK?
15% alcohol by volume, except egg liqueur (advocaat), which has a minimum of 14%.
What name does a spirit drink carry?
The name it is sold under: the sales denomination in Great Britain and the legal name in Northern Ireland. Where it meets a category such as rum, that category name is used.
Can a geographical indication replace the spirit's name?
Yes. A geographical indication registered in the UK GI register may supplement or replace the sales denomination of a spirit drink.
Who publishes the wine labelling rules in the UK?
The Food Standards Agency publishes guidance on the labelling requirements wine must meet to be sold in the UK.
When is Alcohol Duty paid?
Approved alcoholic products producers pay the duty shown on their online return by the 25th of the month, using their APPA ID.
Do alcohol businesses have packaging obligations?
Under extended producer responsibility, a UK business supplying or importing more than 25 tonnes of packaging a year with a turnover of £1 million or more is an obligated producer.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in the UK?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including the split between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product and keeps the documents behind each one ready. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in the UK and what your paperwork needs to show.

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No card, no account, and no call to book. Tell us what you make and where you sell it, and we will come back to you.

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