PUB chiefs yesterday accused Chancellor Rachel Reeves of putting billionaire Jeff Bezos ahead of British boozers.
She has axed business rates relief, pushing a 63 per cent tax rise on pubs.
But online companies such as Bezos’ Amazon face just a seven per cent rise.
Braden Saunders, Co-Founder of Doghouse Distillery, Battersea, said: “Our international competitors are watching British spirits become less competitive with every Budget, undermining decades of work to build the UK into a global spirits powerhouse.
“Someone needs to explain to the Chancellor that you can’t tax your way to prosperity by destroying the businesses that actually create jobs and growth.”
Emma McClarkin, CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “For all the talk of supporting the pub, once the sector could finally see beyond the smoke and mirrors, we realised we’d been condemned to higher bills.
“This Budget promised to make online giants pay, but the reality is that these tiny bills won’t touch the sides of their huge profits.
“Instead, our beloved pubs will have to pick up the tab and that can only mean more pub closures, more job losses, and more communities left with another boarded up local.”
It comes as new figures show Treasury alcohol revenue will be £3.9bn lower in 2029/30 than first forecast after the 10.1 per cent duty hike 18 months ago.
Earlier this week, the Chancellor also chose to increase alcohol duty by 3.66%, in line with inflation – which will push up prices in pubs too.
The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) said a rise of 3.66% would see duty go up by 11p on a bottle of Prosecco, 13p on a bottle of red wine and 38p for a bottle of gin from February 1.
And it adds 2p of tax on to the price of a pint – and pubs are under pressure to pass this on.
