By Business & Finance 
Italians pay absolutely no excise on wine
Ahead of the big game tonight, the Support Your Local campaign has released a comparison on what Irish and Italian consumers pay on alcohol.
Which team will be victorious as Ireland take on Italy tonight in a win-or-bust game for the Irish is yet to be seen; but one area in which Italian revellers can claim victory is regarding the price of alcohol.
The data shows that Irish consumers pay 80% more than Italians on alcohol excise tax. Irish consumers pay on average €733.08 on alcohol per year, while Italian consumers pay on average €149.46 per year.
Excise on a standard pint of beer is 69% higher in Ireland, 78% higher on a standard bottle of spirits and 100% higher on a standard bottle of wine.
Meanwhile, the latest Eurostat research, released last week, found that Irish consumers pay the highest price for alcohol in the EU, which the Support Your Local campaign believes is directly linked to Ireland’s excise tax take.
Michael Storan, campaign manager, Support Your Local Campaign, said: “Irish consumers are being ripped off in comparison to our European counterparts because our sky high alcohol excise rates. Between 2012 and 2013 the Government implemented huge excise increases as ‘an emergency measure’, resulting in excise on beer being increased by 44%, excise on spirits being increased by 37% and excise on wine being increased by 62%.”
He continued: “These increases have remained in place ever since, hitting consumers, tourists and businesses unfairly. We are calling on the Government to reverse alcohol excise in the next Budget.”
The latest research from DCU economist Tony Foley, for the Support Your Local campaign shows that the drinks and hospitality industry supports over 200,000 jobs across Ireland.
