Vodka

[dot.hawkes]

Our local co-op late shop has started selling a 70cl bottle of Vodka that is 22% proof! it tastes just the same as the 37.5% I may have previously purchased, is this a new innovation to get peopel to drink less intoxicating alcohol?

[Buenchico]

Probably not! It's far more likely to be a way to be able to advertise vodka at lower prices than competitors charge for 'ordinary' brands.

The excise duty on a bottle of 37.5% abv vodka is �5.50. The duty on a bottle of the 22% stuff is only �3.23. Because there's also a saving on the VAT which is charged on top of the duty, Gordon Brown receives a total of �2.67 less when the Co-op sell a bottle of the 22% brand than when they sell the 'full-strength' stuff. Hence the Co-op can advertise cheaper vodka.

To be fair to the Co-op, they're the only major retailer to give information about safe drinking (including the number of units per glass) on the labels of their own-brand alcohol products. I still doubt, however, that the reason for stocking this lower-alcohol vodka really has much to do with encouraging responsible drinking.

Chris

[lindapinda]

But..does it have the same kick Dot?

[rjkh]

I was under the impression that all vodka sold in the EU had to be a minimum of 37.5% ABV. This was just something I read once, and have never had corroborated though.

I know the reason the ABV on certain products (e.g. Smirnoff Red, Gordon's) was reduced from 40% was for the saving on excise duty. I assume this EU law (if it does exist) was just a measure to prevent local tax laws further affecting the quality of such products, which could be sold to export.

I once saw a bottle of somethig similar to vodka with an ABV of 30%. I'm sure it was described as something along the lines of "Imperial Russian Spirit" or similar, and not vodka.

[THECORBYLOON]

rjkh, the Gin & Vodka Association site confirms the minimum 37.5% ABV EU requirement

[rjkh]

Thanks for that TCL. I wouldn't have known where to look to be honest.