Miller Brands has launched a 75cl version of its Belgian craft beer St Stefanus.

One tenth of all beer sales in the UK are illicit, according to HM Revenue & Customs.

New Zealand winemaker Rod Easthope, who recently resigned as chief winemaker of Craggy Range, will make an exclusive range of wines for Naked Wines in a £300,000 project.

Wines of Portugal is targeting independent wine merchants in a new push to enthuse the wine trade about the quality and diversity of Portuguese wines.

Gallo will launch Moscato wines under its Gallo Family Vineyards and Barefoot labels next month, the winery has announced.

Codorníu has extended its Anna de Codorníu range with Anna de Codorníu Blanc de Noirs, exclusive to independent wine merchants and the on-trade.

The agency which organised National Wine Month last year has called on the wine trade to ask if wants to continue the initiative this year.

AB Inbev has launched an outdoor ad campaign for Stella Artois that aims to highlight the brand’s brewing heritage.

The Wine Institute of California and Off Licence News are giving independents the chance to win a trip to the Golden State and an Enomatic wine sampling machine.

Bottled beers are driving growth in the ale market but retailers are missing £20 million in sales due to out-of-stocks, according to new figures. 

The owner of an Essex bonded warehouse has been jailed for 10 years for leading a £50 million alcohol and VAT fraud.

Diageo has said a decline in UK sales of its spirits brands in the last half of 2011 was the result of a reduction of its active involvement in deep supermarket promotions. 

Alcoholic energy drink Crunk Juce is set to relaunch as Crunk CJ after the Portman Group banned it in its original format. 

Trade bodies have responded to prime minister David Cameron’s pledge to tackle problem drinking today (February 15). 

Prime Minister David Cameron has announced plans to cut alcohol abuse. A problem he calls "one of the scandals of our society".

A £1 million fund to help local communities tackle under-age and binge-drinking has been launched by the government’s champion for active safer communities, Baroness Newlove.

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association has called on the government to scrap this year’s planned alcohol tax hike to give businesses a boost for the Olympics.

Waitrose has scooped five awards in OLN's Drinks Retailing Awards -  including the Lifetime Achievement Award, which went to Dee Blackstock MW.

A tonic wine which features a naked couple embracing on its label and a cider branded as “hard” have been banned by the Portman Group.

Islay single malt whisky Bowmore has repackaged its UK and travel retail ranges with a new premium gift box and a refreshed bottle design.

Spirited Wines, the company which bought the Nicolas shops outside London in 2010, has bought the remaining Nicolas estate from French wine company Castel.

A 45p-per-unit minimum price coupled with total ban on discounting in the off-trade could cut consumption by 6% in its first year, according to an updated forecast by the University of Sheffield.

Low-alcohol wine sales in Tesco grew 3.4% to 1.9 million bottles over Christmas 2011, from 1.8 million bottles the year before.

Molson Coors is increasing its focus on multiple grocers and convenience stores by hiring more field staff through marketing agency REL Field Marketing.

Cono Sur is offering independent wine merchants POS packs with its Sparkling Brut and Sparkling Rosé, in a bid to drive sales for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter.

Edinburgh City Council is considering capping the number of off-licences in the city.

The body representing vinho verde has launched a major campaign in the UK in a bid to capitalise on growing demand for lighter styles of wine.

Smokers’ lobbying body Forest is to launch a campaign against plain packaging of tobacco – called Hands Off Our Packs.

First Drinks has added Zubrówka Bison Grass Vodka and top Russian vodka brand Green Mark to its portfolio, after parting company with Russian Standard.

Greene King is offering rugby fans the chance to win a training session with the England team in an on-pack promotion on bottles of its IPA.

Kiwi winemakers are experimenting with Grüner Veltliner – which they believe could be the next big thing from New Zealand.

New Zealand Winegrowers’ Europe director David Cox remains bullish in the face of duty hikes, exchange rate pressures and early reports of a potentially small 2012 vintage, he has told OLN.

Pernod Ricard UK is set to launch a 18.7cl bottle of Brancott Estate.

The Federation of Wholesale Distributors has called on the drinks trade to work with HM Revenue & Customs to stamp out alcohol duty fraud.

East London brewer Truman’s is asking London ale drinkers to help it find a new brewery site.

Minimum unit pricing may not stop young people binge-drinking, one of the academics behind the influential Sheffield Report on alcohol pricing has said.

HM Revenue & Customs is making little or no progress in fighting alcohol duty fraud, with fewer than six cases a year leading to convictions, a National Audit Office report has revealed.

International Cider Challenge 2012 entries open

OLN has launched the International Cider Challenge 2012 and is calling for entries from producers.

The competition is designed to recognise the diversity and range of packaged products in the dynamic and growing cider category.

Asda has insisted that a wine it has been selling for £2.48 is not selling for less than duty plus VAT.

The drinks trade is facing a tough 2012 as the country struggles economically – and even major sporting events aren’t expected to bring much of a sales uplift.

The head of Wine Australia has warned the country stands to lose market share in the UK amid tough conditions driven by exchange rates and pricing pressures.

Off Licence News is launching a raft of activity at this year’s London International Wine Fair to increase the show’s appeal to independent retailers and help maximise its business-building potential.

Sainsbury’s has started the year on the hunt for a new wine chief after two high-profile team members announced their departures. 

Wines from Brazil is increasing its presence in the UK to grow awareness as it gears up to host the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016.

An alcoholic jelly called Suck & Blow has been banned in its current format for breaching three elements of the Portman Group’s code.

Tesco is hoping to steal a march on rivals by becoming the first retailer to list a new range of lower-strength beers.

Online retailer and bottler Master of Malt has launched what it says is the world’s hottest chilli vodka.

Sainsbury’s winemaker Clem Yates MW is leaving the retailer to join Off-Piste Wines as sourcing and supply director.

The Scottish government has accused supermarkets of “undermining the spirit” of its alcohol laws by selling cheap drinks.

Paul Braydon has joined Guy Anderson Wines as national account manager.

A 5.8% rise in volume sales of Magners cider in GB in the quarter to November 30, 2011, has been reported by Dublin-based C&C Group.

Brand Phoenix and Distell have launched two new sparkling wines.

The Wine Society has appointed Berry Bros & Rudd chief operating officer Robin McMillan as its new chief executive.

Beefeater gin has launched a limited edition pack to celebrate its London heritage.

Bibendum is to launch 23 new wineries at its annual trade tasting next week.

Central Otago wine brand Wooing Tree has joined Seckford Agencies’ portfolio.

Regional Spanish wine specialist Exportiberia has opened a UK office.

Blue Nun has launched a low-alcohol range of wines at 5.5% abv.

Pre-mixed drinks scooped a host of awards in the 2012 Pre-mixed Drinks Challenge, run by OLN’s sister paper Drinks International.

Scotland should consider stopping supermarkets from selling alcohol, a leading Scottish psychiatrist has said.

A man has been found dead at the Glenfiddich distillery in Scotland. According to several newspapers, Brian Ettles died in a 16ft washback.

Pernod Ricard UK deputy managing director Simon Thomas has been named the new chairman of the Benevolent.

Xenia Irwin MW is to leave Spar to become commercial manager at ABS Wine Agencies.

Thierry’s has made two appointments in its management team.

Halewood International has launched a new flavour for Lambrini.

Majestic’s sales grew 8.4% over the nine weeks of Christmas trading from November 1 to January 2, the retailer has reported.

Argentina specialist Las Bodegas is adding 30 new wines to its portfolio over the next two months – all of them new to the UK.

Sainsbury’s is running an in-store campaign to raise awareness of alcohol units, promote lighter-style wines and encourage consumers to manage their drinking responsibly.

Czech brewery Budweiser Budvar has reported record exports in 2011.

Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer is setting up a ski lodge at the Outdoors Show at London’s Excel exhibition centre from January 12-15.

Jacob’s Creek has signed up tennis star Andre Agassi for a three-year global campaign promoting its wines.

Rémy Martin has launched a cask-finished VSOP for the European market.

Codorníu has appointed a new UK brand manager as part of a reshuffle in its sales and marketing departments.

The Oxford Wine Co has appointed Marcia Waters MW as wine buyer.

Accolade Wines has launched a website to help independent convenience stores grow their sales today (January 4).

Fine wine prices fell 15% in 2011, fine wine index Liv-ex has reported.

A Naked Wines ad offering its customers their money back has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority.

Booker is launching a campaign that aims to draw 2 million extra shoppers to independent retailers.

JTI has launched its first value roll-your-own tobacco brand – Sterling Rolling.

Pessac-Léognan grand cru estate Château Brown has introduced a Quick Response code for its forthcoming vintages.

Eristoff has launched a 70cl bottle price-marked at £11.49.

Girls are being taken to hospital following binge drinking in greater numbers than boys, government figures reveal.

Brighton has created what is thought to be the biggest cumulative impact area in the UK.

England could be about to follow Scotland with plans for minimum prices for alcohol.

The Scottish health minister has come under fire for failing to declare the government’s preferred level for minimum alcohol pricing.

Health secretary Andrew Lansley has rejected the idea of using minimum pricing as a way of curbing problem drinking.

The government remains convinced that minimum unit pricing for alcohol is illegal under European law, despite the Scottish government’s determination to press ahead with the policy.

Medics have repeated their call for the government to use minimum pricing as a way of curbing alcohol misuse.

Shoppers feel they are being bombarded with the same Christmas songs over and over again, a new poll has revealed.

Off Licence News has released the shortlist for our prestigious Drinks Retailing Awards 2012. 

Inflation on wine and spirits has leapt up in the past month, according to the Office of National Statistics and the Wilson Drinks Report.

Sainsbury’s is tipping gin as a top-selling spirit this Christmas.

Wine sales dropped 3% in the past year and the pace of decline has accelerated this autumn as tax hikes bite, the WSTA has reported.

Molson Coors has written to 60 MPs across the UK to challenge the duty escalator on beer by highlighting the relationship between barley farming and brewing.

Diageo has invested £2 million in a digital media and consumer PR push for Captain Morgan’s Spiced.

Diageo has launched a £2 million Christmas ad campaign for Guinness.

Rising taxes may mean there is no future for wine in the UK, a leading Californian winemaker has warned.

Plans for minimum unit pricing in Scotland will hit poorest households the hardest, a report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies has claimed.

Molson Coors sales director John Heynen is to leave the brewer at the end of this year, as part of an organisational restructure.

Morrisons is trialling a range of new initiatives to make its drinks aisles more accessible.

Asda was selling £10 bottles of Champagne this week as the supermarkets’ battle for hard-up consumers’ Christmas drinks budgets hotted up.

Westons has teamed up with chef Marco Pierre White for the launch of a new cider.

A version of the Kiss song Crazy Crazy Nights features in a £1 million pre-Christmas ad campaign for Smirnoff.

Virgin Wines has launched a mobile phone version of its website.

UK like-for-like retail sales fell 1.6% in November compared with the same month in 2010 – the weakest performance since May.

Oak-aged beer producer Innis & Gunn is to double its workforce with the creation of 13 new jobs. 

Diageo is to sponsor free travel on public transport in the capital on New Year’s Eve.

Eisberg alcohol-free wine has joined up with the British Liver Trust to support its Love Your Liver month in January.

Jacob’s Creek has created a range of wines made from cool-climate regions and targeted at women.

Oddbins is giving away turkeys this Christmas.

The Wine & Spirit Trades’ Benevolent Society has appointed Paul Newman as its new chief executive.

WSTA communications director Gavin Partington will take over from chief executive Jeremy Beadles in an interim role while the body hunts for a permanent successor.

Brand Phoenix has pledged to cut 50 million units of alcohol from the market over the next three years by growing its low-alcohol Café Collection range and cutting abv levels across the rest of the First Cape portfolio.

Greene King has delivered a selection of East Anglian beers to Brussels for a meeting in which MEPs will discuss policy and issues.

Treasury Wine Estates has launched a fine wine business unit for the UK and Ireland, aimed at boosting sales of its regional and premium wines.

The Kraken Black Spiced Rum is sponsoring the Kitschies – the alternative science fiction and fantasy writing awards.

A 3p hike in fuel duty will be deferred from January to August, Chancellor George Osborne has announced in his autumn statement. 

Maxxium UK has created a Facebook app that lets fans of The Macallan whisky create and share a “virtual dram”.

Kopparberg cider is to double its marketing spend in 2012 after its Find Kopparberg campaign led to a surge in sales of the brand.

Australian Vintage is bringing its McGuigan City Vineyard installation to Dublin during summer 2012. The Australian winery said it will take members of the UK trade to the event, which represents a £250,000 investment.

Asda was offering bottles of Baileys for just £7 this week in the keenest supermarket deal on big-name spirit brands, as the last monthly pay day before Christmas approached.

Budweiser Budvar has invested £13 million in its Czech brewery to significantly increase production and packaging as it looks to widen the number of lines it offers.

Majestic is broadcasting its first ever TV ads in a pilot scheme to attract supermarket wine shoppers.

Inter Beaujolais has launched the second International Gamay Competition.

Cellar Trends has launched a jar of maraschino cherries marinated in sugar syrup and Luxardo Maraschino liqueur.

Accolade Wines is to target independent convenience stores after research revealed they are coming under pressure from multiple rivals.

Wine Rack has opened a shop in Radlett, Hertfordshire – bringing its estate to 21 shops.

An Edinburgh university is to investigate what impact, if any, Scotland’s alcohol policies will have on its heaviest drinkers.

Pernod Ricard UK is backing its Chivas Regal Scotch whisky brand with outdoor advertising at high-footfall London sites, including Canary Wharf and locations in the City.

Aldi claims it is the first UK supermarket to sell a 40-year-old single malt Scotch whisky in its stores.

Veuve Clicquot Champagne has signed a three-year partnership deal with the English National Opera.

Accolade Wines has given Hardys Nottage Hill a new look as part of a £4.5 million investment. 

Talisker Whisky has signed up as the title sponsor of rowing race the Atlantic Challenge.

Wine & Spirit Education Trust chief executive Ian Harris has stepped down as organiser of National Wine Month to concentrate his efforts on the educator's core activities.

Oddbins is enlisting the help of consumers to select a mixed case of wines for Christmas.

Butcombe Brewery has teamed up with TV presenter Adam Henson to create a golden ale called Adam Henson’s Rare Breed.

Absolut Vodka has launched a gift pack designed to go in the freezer.

Bestway has reviewed its own-label wine brand Cellar Estate and slimmed it down to 65 wines.

First Drinks Brands has launched Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old Special Reserve – the whiskey’s best-selling variant worldwide – in the UK.

Off-Piste Wines has launched a South African brand with a back label that peels off to show information about the region where the wines are grown.

Two breweries are celebrating after winning awards for their label designs sponsored by Off Licence News.

Majestic has grown pre-tax profits by 20% to £8.8 million in the half-year to September 26 – but saw like-for-like sales in shops drop for the six weeks after the period ended, it has reported.

Pernod Ricard UK has launched a five-week TV ad campaign for Jacob’s Creek.

Diageo has launched a limited edition version of Johnnie Walker – Johnnie Walker Double Black.

First Drinks Brands is launching a neck collar campaign for Three Barrels, offering consumers the chance to win £1,000 as part of its Ultimate Moments marketing campaign.

Independents stand to net £1 billion in sales when the tobacco display ban comes into force next year.

The generic campaign for sherry in the UK has had its budget slashed this year – and its future is hanging in the balance as the Sherry Institute weighs up its options for 2012.

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association has produced a guide to buying wine to help prevent collectors and investors being ripped off by fraudsters.

Stores are preparing themselves for a bleak Christmas as economic indicators show poor retail footfall and low consumer confidence.

The drinks trade has defended the Responsibility Deal it struck with the government in spring, after the accord came under fire from the health lobby at a recent forum.

Grolsch lager is in line for a repositioning exercise in 2012 to take it away from the mainstream premium lager category and into the world beers sector.

Maxxium UK has launched a gift carton for Teacher’s blended Scotch whisky – the brand’s first since 1988.

Naked Wines has been named the UK’s Online Business of the Year at the National Business Awards 2011.

Supermarket trading slowed in October, suggesting that shoppers are holding off Christmas shopping in the hope of getting better deals closer to the festive season, according to Nielsen.

Wines of Chile has announced the results of its second Independent Wine Merchants Awards. 

Alcoholic ginger beer Stone’s Ginger Joe is to make its TV debut this month.

Courvoisier is running a walking tour that visits places in London associated with the author Charles Dickens, who is believed to have been a fan of the Cognac.

Martini has launched its sparkling wine range in 20cl bottles.

English winery Three Choirs Vineyards has produced the first English wine from the 2011 harvest.

The government will ban the sale of alcohol below cost in England and Wales from April 2012, it has announced.

The Portman Group has banned the sale of Stiffy’s Jaffa Cake and Kola Kubez vodka liqueurs after a complaint that the name was a sexual reference.

Bancroft Wines has signed up Croatian producer Matošević, and is now its exclusive UK agent. 

Savanna cider is running a TV ad campaign this month after a successful burst of advertising in the summer.

The Peter Lehmann range of wines from Australia’s Barossa Valley has been revamped for the first time since it launched 30 years ago.

The wine trade has agreed on an international system for calculating carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.

Moët & Chandon has been signed up as the official Champagne of the tennis ATP World Tour.

Oddbins has put three wines priced by its customers in a blind tasting on shelves today (November 4).

OLN’s Tim Atkin MW has relaunched his website.

Fuller’s has launched a seasonal stout on draught, and plans to bottle it next year.

Generic body Sud de France is to hold an organic and biodynamic wine tasting this month.

Scotland’s move to introduce minimum unit pricing on alcohol is “probably legal”, according to the government’s public health head Donald Henderson.

Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) chief executive Jeremy Beadles is to leave his post to join Heineken UK.

Stevens Garnier has been bought by Portugal-based producer Sogrape and has appointed a new managing director.

Minimum pricing in Scotland would punish consumers already struggling in today’s tough economic climate, the Wine & Spirit Trade Association has said.

The Scottish government has introduced its bill to create a minimum price for alcohol.

Brintex has ruled out allowing consumers to visit the London International Wine Fair next year after a consultation with the trade.

Wine Rack will fall short of its planned target of reaching 30 stores by the end of 2010.

Low and no-alcohol wine sales are growing rapidly from a small base and getting close to 1 million cases, according to the latest figures from Nielsen.

The newly relaunched Oddbins chain is exploring sites as it considers expanding next year. 

Minimum unit pricing on alcohol is “probably illegal”, public health minister Anne Milton has said.

Carlsberg UK chief executive Isaac Sheps is leaving to take over leadership of the brewer’s Russian business, Baltika, and its eastern European operations.

Nicolas is gearing up for its annual wine and spirits fair on November 11-12.

The Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux has teamed up with comedian Dom Joly to produce a series of videos.

Lindeman’s has added a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to its international Winemaker’s Discovery range.

South African winery Linton Park has rebranded its Louis Fourie 1699 range for the UK market, and will be launching it with new agent Chalié Richards next month.

Mont Tauch has launched a sustainably produced single vineyard Fitou in Marks & Spencer. 

Off-trade beer sales grew 9.1% in the last quarter, according to the latest report by the BBPA.

Free Run Wines and Felix Solis Avantis have launched a range of Spanish whites from Rueda. 

The widow of the late John Halewood is to take over as chair of the company that bears his name.

Alcohol consumption continues to decline – in a trend that has been continuing since the early to mid-2000s, according to the Portman Group’s first annual report.

Heineken has extended its sponsorship of the Rugby World Cup to remain its official beer supplier and worldwide partner for the 2015 tournament in England.

Diageo Wines Europe managing director Nick Hyde has been nominated as the new chairman of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association.

John Halewood of Halewood International has died. He passed away on October 15.

Drinkaware has teamed up with parenting website mumsnet.com to target parents of pre-teens in a bid to put off the age when children have their first drink.

September’s record-breaking temperatures have given the drinks sector a huge boost, pepping up a tough summer for sales.

Sainsbury’s new BWS chief has pledged to deliver more consistency across its retail channels and put a greater emphasis on consumer needs.

Drinks retailers remain attractive investment prospects despite the economic conditions, according to Majestic’s chief executive Steve Lewis.

Waitrose will be making its drinks range as diverse and premium as possible as it rolls out its Little Waitrose smaller-format convenience stores.

Accolade Wines has launched an off-trade push for Stone’s Original ginger wine in the run-up to Christmas.

Brains Dark is running an off-trade Halloween promotion, after a similar push last year brought a 30% sales uplift.

Greenall’s has signed the first TV deal in its 250-year history.

Brewdog’s latest off-the-wall contribution to the beer world is an IPA brewed under the North Sea.

The winners of the International Spirits Challenge trophies have been announced.

Eight new members have joined the board overseeing the roll-out of Community Alcohol Partnerships around the country.

The Portman Group is looking for two new members to join its independent complaints panel.

Cobra beer is being given a brand redesign later this month.

Cono Sur Chilean wine is offering a free recipe book by chef Paul Merrett in an on-pack promotion on its Bicycle range.

Diageo is to supply a limited edition Grand Marnier bottle to luxury retailers and selected wholesalers until December.

Diageo is set to launch a multimedia campaign to boost sales of its pre-mix range and encourage consumers to drink the cans on week nights.

The leader of a gang which evaded £1.8 million in excise duty has been sentenced to more than five years in prison.

Budweiser has revamped its cans, with a red “bow tie” sitting behind the Budweiser logo on the new-look version.

Drinkaware has launched a programme to teach primary and secondary schoolchildren life skills, in a bid to stop them abusing alcohol when they get older.

The volume of retail sales in September is lower than a year ago, but the pace of decline has stabilised says business organisation the CBI.

Pernod Ricard has appointed Denis O’Flynn as managing director of its UK business.

Pernod Ricard UK is to advertise its Campo Viejo Rioja brand in print media for the first time in three years.

SAB Miller has agreed to buy Australia’s Foster's beer business in a deal which values the company at A$11.5 billion.

Wine supplier PLB has appointed Willem Hunter as brand manager for its Viña Ventisquero and Yali Chilean wines, Spier from South Africa and California’s Sutter Home and Trinchero Family Vineyards.

Cape Wine Exporters plans to launch its Mount Rozier brand in the UK market in 2012.

The Portman Group has appointed Henry Ashworth as its new chief executive officer.

Former Diageo GB boss Simon Litherland has been appointed managing director of Britvic Soft Drinks, the GB arm of Britvic plc.

A new TV campaign for Carling starts today as part of a £7.3 million investment in the brand by Molson Coors.

Halewood International is relaunching its Botany Creek British light wine brand.

Somerset cider brandy has been given Protected Geographical Identification status by the EU after a trade campaign backed by the Wine & Spirit Trade Association and the UK government.

The Scottish Government has confirmed that it will introduce its Alcohol Minimum Pricing Bill this autumn.

The Fast Show is the latest comedy classic to be resurrected by Foster’s.

West Midlands-based Soho Cash & Carry is opening a new depot in the Smethwick district of Birmingham on Friday, September 9.

Sainsbury’s winemaker Clem Yates is one of 11 new Masters of Wine.

Aspall has been named sponsor and sole cider supplier to the Harvest 2011 food and music festival.

UK retail sales fell 0.6% on a like-for-like basis in August, according to the British Retail Consortium.

Intercontinental Brands is to advertise its V-Kat schnapps brand on the university TV network SubTV.

Diageo is spending £6 million on a state-of-the-art bio-energy plant at its Glenlossie distillery complex in Speyside.

Foster’s Gold lager is claiming an advertising first with a digital poster campaign that will allow users to upload content directly to Facebook.

A report in the Independent newspaper suggests that a buyer is being sought for Bargain Booze.

The Scottish Grocers’ Federation has called for local authorities to take a common sense approach to the country’s new laws on pricing and promotions.

Fuller’s has launched the third in its series of Brewer’s Reserve barrel-aged beers.

Hall & Woodhouse is redesigning its entire of Badger bottled beers.

The Prime Minster has suspended liability for business rates for shops affected by the riots in English towns and cities this week.

HM Revenue & Customs says it will be flexible on tax payments for businesses facing short-term financial difficulty because of this week’s riots.

Sainsbury’s says it has seen a 5.5% rise in sales of bag-in-box wine since moving its entire range to a 2.25-litre format.

The British Retail Consortium has called on the government to suspend business rates and National Insurance for businesses affected by this week’s riots in urban England.

AB Inbev saw its UK beer volumes drop 16% in the second quarter of 2011. The fall reflects a spike in sales in the comparable period last year caused by the football World Cup, of which the company’s Budweiser brand was a main sponsor.

The British Retail Consortium is to ask the Home Secretary Theresa May for immediate support to help shopkeepers protect their properties in the wake of the disturbances in London and other cities.

Retailers affected by rioting in London and other major cities in recent days are being urged to act quickly to make insurance claims.

The British Retail Consortium says action is needed to prevent “spending paralysis” after a modest rise in retail sales in July.

A range of ready-made foams for adding a twist to cocktails has been developed by Bols.

Shops have been urged to put the safety of staff first and pull up the shutters up if any doubt, after rioting and looting spread from London to other major cities across the UK.

Canned pre-mixes of Grant’s Scotch whisky with cola and with ginger are being introduced by First Drinks.

Halewood International has launched a rum-based, ginger-flavoured RTD aimed at young male adults.

The De Vere hospitality group has sold its Greenalls gin business to a private equity-backed management team.

The wine writers’ collective known as The Wine Gang is to add a second Christmas Wine Fair for consumers.

Mount Gay rum is to carry out sampling and other promotional activity during next week's Cowes Week regatta.

Italian spirits manufacturer Campari has brought the privately-owned cachaça brand Sagatiba for €18 million.

German wheat beer brewer Schneider is launching a limited edition bottle-fermented beer in the UK.

Halewood International is to advertise Lambrini on national TV from August 28 to September 18.

Gonzalez Byass UK is to add the Australian winery Wirra Wirra to is agency portfolio from September 1.

Suffolk cider firm Aspall is launching a top-of-the range, 8.2% abv product called Imperial.

Martell Cognac is giving consumers the chance to win a house in the region in an on-pack promotion.

Lancashire brewer Daniel Thwaites has announced plans to sell its current site to Sainsbury’s and build a state-of-the art brewery at another location.

The absence of a major football tournament from this summer’s calendar has put a big dent in off-trade beer sales.

A method for distinguishing between authentic and counterfeit Scotch whisky brand has been devised by scientists at the University of Strathclyde. 

Former Neighbours actress Holly Valance is to be the star of a TV and print ad campaign for Heineken UK’s new Foster’s Gold lager.

Barwell & Jones is to handle UK distribution of Chile’s Viña Morandé wine brand from July 25.

A pre-mixed caipirinha cocktail is making an assault on the UK market.

Distribution of the Czech lager Staropramen is to be taken on by Carlsberg UK.

The number of consumers searching for retail products on internet search engines increased by 27% in the second quarter of 2011.

Five people have been killed in an explosion and fire on a Lincolnshire industrial estate in an incident which it’s been reported may have been caused by an illegal vodka distillery.

Absolut vodka is to launch a global campaign consisting of collaborations with 18 rising stars in the visual arts world.

Absolut vodka is to launch a global campaign consisting of collaborations with 18 rising stars in the visual arts world.

Trading Standards officers in the London Borough of Hillingdon have seized large amounts of counterfeit alcohol from local businesses in a four-day operation.

Council officials in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, have issued a warning about bottles of counterfeit Smirnoff vodka.

Pernod Ricard UK and motoring organisation the AA are launching the second phase of their joint anti-drink driving consumer marketing campaign.

The British Retail Consortium says retail sales rallied in June but were still “not great”.

Maxxium UK is adding a white rum to its Brugal portfolio.

The managing director of Miller Brands UK, Nick Miller, is leaving the global giant to take up the role of CEO at London craft brewery Meantime.

On the same day that Diageo announced a new boss for its GB business, rival Pernod Ricard UK has appointed a new managing director for its UK business.

Diageo has appointed Andrew Cowan as its country director for GB.

A former Sainsbury’s wine buyer has set up a new consultancy business to help overseas wineries establish themselves in the UK market.

Tesco is revamping the look of its wine aisles after carrying out its largest ever piece of wine consumer research.

Heineken UK has been rapped by marketing watchdog the Portman Group after a song called Too Drunk to F*** appeared in a playlist in a Kronenbourg 1664 promotion on the Spotify music streaming service.

Consumers are being urged to buy at least one item from an independent store today to celebrate diversity in the high street.

Bacardi has launched its Bacardi Originals range of ready-to-serve cocktails in the off-trade.

A new multi-agency group has been set up in Glasgow to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by excessive drinking.

Ian Macleod Distillers has bought the Speyside distillery Tamdhu from the Edrington Group.

Maker’s Mark bourbon will be offering consumers the chance to win a £5,000 “style allowance” in its first UK on-pack offer from August.

Morgenrot is launching a 97cl sharing bottle for its Quilmes Argentine lager.

Sainsbury’s has named the regional finalists in its Great British Beer Hunt competition.

The specialist rum distributor J Wray & Nephew UK has added the Bulldog gin brand to its portfolio.

A second EOPS error in three weeks has brought chaos to the beer aisles in some Tesco stores.

The Wine & Spirit Association says record tax increases are driving alcohol prices up across the board.

Diageo is to fund training for midwives to help educate expectant mothers about the risks of alcohol to their unborn child.

Online alcohol sales in April were up 20% on March, and 55% ahead of April 2010, as a result of the royal wedding.

A further 29 closed Oddbins stores across the country are being marketed for sale by Christie & Co.

Legislation to bring in minimum pricing is a certainty in Scotland, WSTA chief executive Jeremy Beadles has said.

UK wine drinkers think traditional wine labels with pictures of vineyards and chateaux and a font with lots of flourishes are most attractive - but are more likely to buy wines with much simpler labels, Wine Intelligence has revealed.

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association is to launch a fraud prevention unit.

The number of retail companies going into administration increased by 30% in the first quarter of the year, according to a report by business advisory firm Deloitte.

High street sales volumes rose in April but the pace of growth remains “subdued” according to the employers' organisation the CBI.

Shareholders in Australia’s Foster’s Group have approved the protracted demerger of its wine and beer businesses.

European Food Brokers has confirmed the acquisition of 37 Oddbins stores from administrator Deloitte.

There are unconfirmed reports that 37 Oddbins stores have been bought by European Food Brokers, the Midlands-based owner of the Whittalls Wines chain, for around £4 million.

Four men have been jailed for conspiring to cheat the public revenue after setting up a counterfeit tobacco factory.

Sainsbury’s has been refused a licence at a controversial new store in Brighton.

The Oddbins rescue plan – being considered by creditors in London this morning – is under serious threat after being rejected by HM Revenue & Customs.

The Oddbins rescue plan – being considered by creditors in London this morning – is under serious threat after being rejected by HM Revenue & Customs.

Accountancy firm Deloitte has revised downwards the projected dividend that would be received by Oddbins creditors if the company enters administration.

Four styles of British alcohol are hoping to gain European recognition with protected name status.

Oddbins has applied to the courts go into administration to stave off winding-up orders from creditors ahead of next Thursday's meeting to vote on a proposed company voluntary arrangement.

Nominations for the BFA HSBC Franchisor of the Year Awards close on March 31, and “innovative and entrepreneurial franchisors that have excelled in 2010” are being asked to send in entries.

Nominations for the BFA HSBC Franchisor of the Year Awards close on March 31, and “innovative and entrepreneurial franchisors that have excelled in 2010” are being asked to send in entries.

Scotland could be heading for an “apocalypse” if it does not tackle its issues with alcohol consumption, according to one of the country’s leading legal figures.

Chancellor George Osborne has announced he will stick to an alcohol duty increase of 7.2% in today's Budget.

The Chancellor's speech covering the government's plans for tobacco and alcohol duty in full.

The National Association of Cider Makers, Diageo and the ACS have reacted to the Budget announced this afternoon.

There is heavy speculation that Diageo could make a US$2 billion bid for tequila brand Jose Cuervo.

Two new members have joined the Independent Complaints Panel – the independent body that looks at complaints about irresponsible alcohol marketing made under the Portman Group’s Code of Practice.

Blue Nun is embarking on another relaunch, with a reformulated version of its flagship blend and new packaging.

The government has announced a fresh crackdown on drink-driving, but stopped short of lowering the blood/alcohol limit for motorists.

The Tobacco Manufacturers Association has said expected duty rises in Wednesday’s Budget will undermine efforts to curb smuggling.

Pernod Ricard UK has suspended distribution of Malibu after a fault was found affecting the flavour of some stocks.

Researchers at the University of Leicester are working on a hand held device to detect fake wine and whisky through the bottle.

Documents relating to the proposed company voluntary arrangement for beleaguered wine chain Oddbins show it owes HM Revenue & Customs £8.6 million in duty, VAT and PAYE.

There are now more than 35 Community Alcohol Partnership schemes around the country and the project has proved so popular that it is recruiting a second full-time employee.

Drinks trade leaders say they can play a key part in creating a responsible drinking culture in the UK.

Six organisations representing the health lobby on alcohol issues have confirmed that they have refused to sign up to a series of proposed pledges to be made by drinks retailers and suppliers arising form the government’s responsibility deal.

Heineken UK has pledged to reduce the abv content of one of its major drinks brands by 2013 as part of the drinks industry’s responsibility deal with the government.

Complaints about irresponsible alcohol marketing have reached a record low thanks to marketing people “seeking more advice than ever before”.

Diageo Great Britain has announced a new addition to its range of premixed drinks: Smirnoff Vodka and Diet Cola.

Oddbins is to seek to enter a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) in a bid to allow the chain to carry on trading.

More people are giving up chocolate for Lent than alcohol, according to a survey commissioned by Eisberg.

Russia and Lebanon will have a bigger presence than ever at this year’s London International Wine Fair.

Senegalese artist Amadou Sow has created the latest limited edition bottle for the Taittinger Collection Champagne range.

The government has announced it will press ahead with a tobacco display ban.

Rioja imports to the UK soared by 23% last year, according to the Consejo Regulador.

Waitrose buyer Nick Room has been named chairman of the Gran Orden de Caballeros, the body which honours people who promote Spanish wine in the UK.

Beer, spirits and cigarettes have been seized from shops in the Lancashire town of Morecambe.

February retail sales values were down 0.4% on a like-for-like basis over the same month in 2010, according to British Retail Consortium figures.

A formal consultation on minimum pricing for alcohol has been launched in Northern Ireland.

The Scotch Whisky Association is supporting the WWF’s Earth Hour initiative, which aims to make a stand against climate change.

Oddbins is to close 39 store as part of a strategic review.

Asda has been found in breach of the Portman Group’s code of practice over the labelling of an own-label cider.