Off-licencees say tax rise means spirits flagging

SALES of spirits have taken a nosedive since the Government increased taxes in the last budget, according to the National Off-Licence Association Spokesman Jim McCabe said yesterday that while no figures are available since the December budget, the body’s members around the country had seen a “huge” decline in sales of spirits.

“I would be interested to see the figures when they are available because the budget did have an effect,” Mr McCabe said. “It was disastrous as far as sales of spirits are concerned.”

The increase added several euro to the price of a bottle of whiskey, vodka and brandy, making home drinkers more reluctant to drop a bottle in their shopping trolley.