No improvement in 2014
Liquor sales dropped 26.08 % in 2013. Wine sales dropped slightly (- 1.72 %), while champagne, cava and sparkling wines managed to sell 7.65 % more.
The double excise hike for wine, sparkling wine, and liquor totaling 21 % is to blame. The tax increase is way higher than the 8 % tax increase for beer, which also only activated 7 months later.
There has been no sales improvement in the first half of 2014: wine sales grew slightly (+ 1.34 %), but liquor still experienced a drop (- 3.13 %). Vinum & Spiritus Association Belgium, the organization of distributors, manufacturers and importers, feels the situation is worrisome, particularly as half of Belgian-produced liquor gets consumed locally as well.
