Fears That Malta Beer Prices Could Increase After Excise Duty Update
There are growing concerns that the price of imported beer in Malta could soon increase due to a planned update in the way excise duty is calculated.
An article in It-Torċa yesterday delved into the potential implications of a Budget measure, which will shift the way excise duty on beer is calculated – from the Plato Gravity Scale to alcohol by volume.
This means that the duty on beer will increase from €1.93 per hectolitre to €4.60, while the duty on beer from small, independent breweries will increase from 96c per hectolitre to €3.40.
The duty on beer mixed with non-alcoholic beverages and beer under 3.5% alcohol will increase from 45c per hectolitre to 54c.
It-Torċa said the current system resulted in discrepancies in importers’ declarations, with €500,000 in fines being paid, as well as complications and delays in terms of verification by the authorities.
Although some anonymous importers insisted that the reform shouldn’t result in higher prices of beer on the market, another one said a price hike shouldn’t be excluded.
“Just like everything on the market, one cannot exclude that some importers will view this as an opportunity to increase their prices. Everyone will make their own calculations and some have already made them,” they said.
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