POUR DECISION
Tesco shoppers fuming as popular wine alcohol strength is LOWERED but price stays the same
Scroll down to read about how to save money on your next batch of wine
SHOPPERS are fuming after spotting a popular wine is now lower in strength - reflecting a trend for weaker booze in the UK.
The Firemark Argentinian Malbec, sold only in Tesco, was until recently 13% ABV, but has in recent months become 12.5%, a change which has sparked angry complaints from shoppers.
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The budget bevvy - which costs £4.59 for a standard 75cl bottle - had been hailed as one of the few 13% wines that could be bought for under a fiver.
One customer previously said it was “amazing for the price, tastes like an £8-9 bottle,” while another praised it as “the only sub £5 red I now buy, the rest now being reduced in their ABV”.
But shoppers were left disappointed to notice the change in strength before Christmas, with the price remaining the same.
Commenting on the Tesco website, one customer complained: “I was buying this while it was on 13% ABV, but it has now joined the race to the bottom with 12.5% current, and I should (think) it will continue downward, so a thin taste.”
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Another added: “No longer 13%. Not the first time a wine has been out of stock for an extended period, then re-appeared with a lowered ABV.
"Looks the same - price is the same (of course!) - but check the label carefully if this happens to YOUR favourite wine."
Tesco has not commented on the reason for the change.
One possible explanation is a variation in the vintage of the wine.
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The reduction also coincides with the introduction of a new system of booze duty, where stronger wines are charged at a higher rate of tax.
Before August 2023, wine duty was mainly charged according to volume, rather than the strength of the alcohol in the production.
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To help the industry with the new reforms, the Government brought in a single rate of duty between August 1, 2023, until January this year, where wines with an ABV between 11.5% and 14.5% were all temporarily taxed as if their strength was 12.5%. This covered most wines in the market.
But under the new regime which started this month, the amount of duty payable on a wine will be based on an ascending spectrum according to its strength.
A 75cl bottle of wine of 11% will be charged at £2.43 duty per bottle, and a 14% bottle will be charged at £3.10.
For Tesco’s Firemark wine, its new 12.5% bottles will have a duty of £2.76, but if it were still 13%, the rate would be £2.88.
So the change means a 12p saving on tax per bottle.
Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said: “The Government continues to claim that the tax hikes are part of their big plan to plug the black hole in the public finances.
"The reality is duty rises are doing the exact opposite. Following the largest alcohol tax hike for almost 50 years, alcohol sales are declining along with Treasury coffers.
"The UK’s punishing and complex alcohol tax regime, especially for wine, has already pushed up prices.
"While a few producers will be able to invest in expensive technology to remove a small amount of alcohol from some wines, most won't or can't afford to.
Ways to save money on wine
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals a few ways you can cut the cost of your next bottle...
- Buy in bulk - plenty of retailers offer discounts when you buy a case of six or 12 bottles.
- Opt for lesser-known regions - wines from prestigious regions like Bordeaux or Champagne often come in more expensive. Buy from regions like Portugal, South Africa or Eastern Europe to save money.
- Go own brand - supermarkets and wine shops often have own brand wines which are usually much cheaper than their branded counterparts.
- Use cashback and loyalty programmes - earn cashback on your purchases or sign up to loyalty schemes and use your points to get money off a future shop.
"Instead consumers are likely to see a reduced choice of wines on the market, with some of their favourite drinks, particularly from warmer climates, starting to disappear from shop shelves and hospitality venues.
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"And where this does not happen, they will see their favourite wines increase in price by £1 or more in the shops."
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