Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Birmingham shop loses licence after fake wine discovery

Birmingham shop loses licence after fake wine discovery
Ttwo Yellow Tail Shiraz bottles, bought from different shops. (Photo via LDRS)

A shop has had its licence revoked after officers found 12 bottles of fake Yellow Tail wine – the latest Birmingham store to be caught out.

B & G Wines – trading as Max Convenience Store – in Monyhull Hall Road has lost its licence following a Birmingham City Council licensing sub-committee hearing on March 8.


During the meeting, a trading standards officer said a member of the public who bought wine from the shop found it tasted wrong and returned to the shop to complain but “got no help there”.

A representative of West Midlands Police said the wine found was “probably the remnants of a larger quantity of counterfeit wine that had been on the premises”.

Previous licensing sub-committee hearings have heard Birmingham has a “huge problem” of fake Yellow Tail wine which police have said is likely to be spread by organised crime gangs.

No one from B&G Wines attended the meeting.

The licensing sub-committee has now given its decision. It has revoked the licence held by Veergathipillai Uthayasooriya and also removed him as designated premises supervisor.

The sub-committee said in its decision: “The police advised the sub-committee that usually the purchase and sale of counterfeit alcohol is made via cash transactions, and often ‘from the back of a van’ – therefore with no traceability, and of course no UK duty being paid.

“Traders acting unscrupulously in purchasing counterfeit alcohol cannot have any idea of the provenance of such alcohol, or even if it is fit for human consumption.

“The sub-committee considered that the only intention behind such practices was to maximise profit by tricking consumers.

“This was directly in contravention of the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder, and public safety.

“The police also observed that the victim in the sale of counterfeit alcohol is not only the consumer, but the brand itself.

“These underground activities cause damage to the ‘Yellow Tail Wine Company’ brand, destroying consumer confidence in their products and putting their business at risk in these uncertain times.

“It also affected the livelihood of legitimate traders in the vicinity; they would find themselves disadvantaged and unable to compete with a premises which was not supplying genuine duty-paid products.

“The sub-committee agreed that counterfeit products damaged the reputation of successful businesses; as such they took a very dim view of it.”

More for you

David Murray promoted as pladis CMO, Mete Buyurgan takes UK & Ireland helm

Mete Buyurgan (L) and David Murray

David Murray named pladis CMO

Snacking giant pladis has announced David Murray, currently leader of its UK and Ireland enterprise, will transition to the newly created position of global chief commercial officer.

After five years at the helm of pladis UK&I, Murray’s new role will see him take ownership of the company’s global platform and brand strategy along with its commercial transformation.

Keep ReadingShow less
Illegal cigarettes in Meir

Illegal cigarettes

iStock

Thousands of illegal cigarettes seized from Meir shop raids

More than £20,000 worth of illicit tobacco and vapes were seized from multiple premises in an one-day operation in Meir by Trading Standards team along with officers from Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire Police.

The operation is the latest across the city that resulted in 13 shops being closed in the last 12 months, and forms part of Operation Cece, which is a National Trading Standards initiative in Partnership with HMRC to tackle illegal tobacco.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Don Julio Tequila

Don Julio Tequila, owned by Diageo. The spirits giant sells billions of dollars worth of tequila and Canadian whisky in the US.

Photo by Anna Webber/Getty Images for Flipper's Boogie Palace

Diageo suggests tougher rules of origin requirements as alternative to Trump’s tariffs

Spirits giant Diageo has suggested the US government consider tougher rules of origin requirements in trade agreements as an alternative to tariffs, a letter to the US Trade Representative showed.

In the March 11 letter, Diageo, the world's top spirits maker caught in the crossfire of US president Donald Trump's effort to remake global trade, argued that new rules of origin could support his aims and benefit the industry.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asda store with Rollback pricing sign for 2024 sales strategy

Asda Express stores offset sales dip at the supermarket

Asda's profits climb despite sales decline, driven by George and Express

Asda on Friday reported a decline in its annual sales for the 2024 financial year, but the retailer has seen profits rising on margin gains.

The supermarket chain said its total revenue for the year to 31 December 2024 declined by 0.8 per cent to £21.7 billion, while like-for-like sales (excluding fuel) were lower by 3.4 per cent.

Keep ReadingShow less
Strategic Ranging of Premium Apple Cider Essential for 2025 Sales

Henry Westons Vintage 500ml is the number one cider SKU in the convenience channel

Crafted cider surge: Retailers urged to embrace premiumisation for sales boost

The unstoppable rise of crafted apple cider is setting the benchmark for success in the UK’s £1.1 billion off-trade cider market, according to the latest Westons Cider Report.

The leading cider producer advises that convenience retailers who prioritise premium products and strategic ranging will be best placed to drive sales in 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less