Responding to a government consultation, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has called for the introduction of an online sales tax (OST).
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association
In its submission to the consultation, the BBPA highlights how the current system overtaxes pubs, that the brewing industry is the highest taxed business sector in the UK, and how an Online Sales Tax would help to make the taxation system fairer and ease the current burden Britain’s brewers and pubs face. It also sets out why an OST is crucial for the regeneration of high streets and local communities.
However , the BBPA highlights that any new tax must be ringfenced and not “become simply another revenue source”. It should, instead, be created, and contained, for the purposes of bringing down the overall costs of business rates for the sector. It calls for government to ensure the sector is no worse off through an addition of a new tax.
Running from the end of February until yesterday, the consultation has sought views from across all sectors on the possible introduction of an online sales tax to rebalance the taxation of the retail sector amid the continued rise of online retail.
Chief executive of the BBPA, Emma McClarkin said: “Our current taxation system is not working for breweries and pubs. We are overtaxed and paying higher business rates than most other sectors, whilst online retailers reap the benefits of low taxation and a booming trade.
“If the Government wants to support pubs — the jobs they support and the role they play in their communities — they must do more to rebalance the taxation system, so pubs and breweries aren’t subsidising the digital economy’s fair share of tax.”
