DRAFT Magazine

The United States isn’t the only country dealing with rising beer taxes. According to a report in the New Zealand Herald, the island’s government will raise excise taxes on alcohol by 2.8 percent tomorrow.

In response, most manufacturers will pass the increase onto vendors, who will turn around and raise prices for consumers.

“My understanding is that most manufacturers are going up similar amounts or more — I certainly know that Lion (Nathan) and DB (Breweries) are increasing their prices by at least 3 percent, and we’re certainly expecting that retailers are going to have no choice but to pass that on to consumers,” Hospitality Association of New Zealand chief executive Bruce Robertson said.

In other words, no one wins.