Introduction Background Note
50.Alcohol duty fraud in the UK costs taxpayers an estimated £1.3bn per annum. The most prevalent form of alcohol fraud involves the smuggling or diversion of alcoholic drinks into the UK in large commercial quantities, duty unpaid.
51.The wholesale sector is the major point where illicit alcohol is diverted into retail supply chains to intermingle with legitimate goods because it is the only element of the alcohol supply chain not required to be authorised by HMRC or the licensing authorities. Introducing a requirement for wholesalers to register with HMRC will reduce opportunities for fraud.
52.Following a 2012 formal consultation on alcohol anti-fraud measures the government announced that it would consult further on the introduction of a registration scheme for alcohol wholesalers and launched a further consultation in 2013. The government announced at Autumn Statement 2013 that it would proceed with plans to introduce the alcohol wholesaler scheme from April 2017, and draft legislation was published at Autumn Statement 2014.
53.Since consultation the legislation has been revised to clarify procedures for new criminal offences for trading without approval and buying from an unapproved wholesaler.