The Budget has been described as bland, disappointing and only beneficial to retailers in France by the food and drink industry.
The British Retail Consortium said the Budget did little for retailers or consumers. BRC director general Bill Moyes said: "We would have liked to see the Chancellor do more to stimulate consumer demand, but we are grateful at least that he has not hit the business sector with a raft of new costs."
However the BRC said the Chancellor had listened to its concerns regarding stamp duty. "The charges announced in the Budget means the level of increase has been minimised, 60% of commercial transactions have been exempted and the introduction has been delayed to give time for further consultation," said Moyes.
The Association of Convenience Stores was disappointed that the "disproportionate and wrongly targeted" burden of the Climate Change Levy was not reduced for neighbourhood retailers.
The Wine and Spirit Association said the Budget would encourage shoppers to cross the Channel for cheaper drinks. Branding the Chancellor's decision to increase the tax on wine by 4p a bottle as "scandalous", association chairman Jo Williamson said wine-based ready to drink products would also be at a disadvantage to rivals.
Brewers expressed disappointment at the 1p rise on a pint of beer. Michael Turner, chief executive of Fuller's, said: "One million pints of beer for illegal resale come to Britain daily from the Continent."
And in this week's Saturday Essay independent retailer Jim Ingram (pictured) said he was devastated by the hike on cigarettes which he said would only boost smuggling.
>>p28 Saturday Essay
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The British Retail Consortium said the Budget did little for retailers or consumers. BRC director general Bill Moyes said: "We would have liked to see the Chancellor do more to stimulate consumer demand, but we are grateful at least that he has not hit the business sector with a raft of new costs."
However the BRC said the Chancellor had listened to its concerns regarding stamp duty. "The charges announced in the Budget means the level of increase has been minimised, 60% of commercial transactions have been exempted and the introduction has been delayed to give time for further consultation," said Moyes.
The Association of Convenience Stores was disappointed that the "disproportionate and wrongly targeted" burden of the Climate Change Levy was not reduced for neighbourhood retailers.
The Wine and Spirit Association said the Budget would encourage shoppers to cross the Channel for cheaper drinks. Branding the Chancellor's decision to increase the tax on wine by 4p a bottle as "scandalous", association chairman Jo Williamson said wine-based ready to drink products would also be at a disadvantage to rivals.
Brewers expressed disappointment at the 1p rise on a pint of beer. Michael Turner, chief executive of Fuller's, said: "One million pints of beer for illegal resale come to Britain daily from the Continent."
And in this week's Saturday Essay independent retailer Jim Ingram (pictured) said he was devastated by the hike on cigarettes which he said would only boost smuggling.
>>p28 Saturday Essay
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