Selling alcohol in UK

[Ana Dranca]

Hello everyone,

Just finished reading the book, the Millionaire Fastlane .

I live in the UK and I have this idea of importing alcohol from Europe.

I would like to ask if any of you knows any book that might help me to find out how it works when you import alcohol from Europe, taxes you have to pay etc...

Thanks a lot.

 

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[Chinobey]

Might want to see the direction Brexit goes before starting something that requires import from Europe and alcohol is a tricky one lots of regulations and licences etc. that must be followed in order to sell it.

 

[Ana Dranca]

Might want to see the direction Brexit goes before starting something that requires import from Europe and alcohol is a tricky one lots of regulations and licences etc. that must be followed in order to sell it.

I personally don't think anything too drastic will happen, even if UK leaves Europe. I live in London and 60% of the products we have in the supermarkets are imported, if they can do it, so can I. I know everything about what licences I need to be able to sell alcohol. Just need to know the regulations about importing from Europe, how does it work. And Google is not very helpful. .

 

[mdivljina]

I personally don't think anything too drastic will happen, even if UK leaves Europe. I live in London and 60% of the products we have in the supermarkets are imported, if they can do it, so can I. I know everything about what licences I need to be able to sell alcohol. Just need to know the regulations about importing from Europe, how does it work. And Google is not very helpful. .

Nothing drastic will probably happen, but my main question to you would be along the lines, why would people buy liquor from you and not from some other, well established store that's been around for much longer than you? What'd be your USP?

 

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[Ana Dranca]

Nothing drastic will probably happen, but my main question to you would be along the lines, why would people buy liquor from you and not from some other, well established store that's been around for much longer than you? What'd be your USP?

Its a new product

 

[Zcott]

I personally don't think anything too drastic will happen, even if UK leaves Europe. I live in London and 60% of the products we have in the supermarkets are imported, if they can do it, so can I. I know everything about what licences I need to be able to sell alcohol. Just need to know the regulations about importing from Europe, how does it work. And Google is not very helpful. .

I think the point is that current regulations and tariffs could change.

Either way, a good start is googling questions.
Import alcohol into the UK

 

[Stargazer]

Go to Europe and fill your car boot or van up with whatever you want and come back to UK with it.

Go around bars and off-licences and see if anyone wants it. (ie you are not selling it at this point)

If you do get any interest start taking orders. eg 50 bottles from each one. Have a reasonable minimum.

Import straight into a bonded warehouse (duty is not paid until it leaves the warehouse, ie only once you have made a sale. So if you brought in 1000 bottles you may pay on 100 once sold and left then 50 then 250 etc etc rather than the duty on 1000 all in one go before any sales have been made. Obviously you pay to store in a bonded warehouse but nothing like paying the tax up front and finding you can't shift it. It is almost like pay as you go tax)

Dan

Bonded warehouses are often at ports and they take delivery straight off the ship into the warehouse. These are like mini Free Trade Zones

 

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[tpf]

I don't know of any books on this, but in addition to the link stargazer posted I also suggest you read:

The Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme (AWRS)

Find out if you need to apply for approval to sell alcohol to another business.

www.gov.uk

and:

Alcohol licensing (this link is about if you're selling direct to the public).

As the law around alcohol imports is quite strict, and if you screw up it could cost you your business.

After those I'd suggest learning about importing, the best book I've come across on that is written by forum member Walter Hay, check out his ad in the fast lane market place.

This link gives you some actions to take to be prepared for Brexit:

Get your business ready to import from the EU to the UK after Brexit - GOV.UK

IIRC I think I read a thread on selling new types of alcohol somewhere on the forum, a member who owns/runs bars said that the product would have to be pretty compelling as it's a tough market: in other words do your research not only into the mechanics of importing but also think about who the drinkers are and how you're going to market to them. (Sorry this is so vague, I can't remember the details, maybe you can find it via forum search).