Why do we need reform?

Small Brewers Relief (SBR) is 16 years old. The brewing world has changed significantly in that time, its time for SBR to catch up. Urgent reform is needed.

SBR is acting as a disincentive to grow for the vast majority of small brewers, contributing to others massively scaling back production, and unfairly holding back the micro brewers.

SBR needs to be more closely matched with the economies of scale that businesses experience as they grow so that SBR is genuinely progressive and always supports growth and investment.

Every duty increase by the Government increases the unfair advantage given to a select group of brewers.

This situation threatens the whole independent brewing sector and puts the British pint as we know it at risk.

A Treasury review is urgently needed to make the SBR system fairer, encourage growth at all stages of a brewer’s business development, boost exports and provide better value for money for the taxpayer whilst helping save the British pint as we know it.