Post-Brexit wine delivery from EU

[Russell Faulkner]

Nope. Why would they?

One day I’ll tell you the story of our adventures trying to import wine, and that’s within the EU!

 

[Paul Anderson]

There’s no reclaiming of VAT needed by the merchants.

There’s just meeting the conditions to not charge it in the first place.

Indeed, but no incentive for the retailer as it would mean having two price lists based on delivery address, which would be too much hassle for a small merchant or producer, especially if the non-EU customer is happy with the price advertised anyway.
Majestic manage something similar since the multi-buy discount ban was introduced in Scotland - in Scottish stores they just apply the discount to single bottles and call it the "Scottish Price" There's even a Scotland section on their website!!

 

[Jonathan Mitchell]

Still hit and miss, luck of the draw going on. A single bottle that I bought at auction arrived today from Spain. No contact from anyone to charge me 20% VAT. Purchased on the 12th April.

 

[Nigel Bruce]

Jonathan,
I received a C&E bill from FedEx well after the wine was delivered. Let us know if there's any follow-up..

 

[Paul Benny]

The "good" news is that this all changes again from 1 July when a service opens that will allow EU sellers to meet their UK VAT obligations without having to register in the UK and without double-charging VAT.

 

[Thom Blach]

The "good" news is that this all changes again from 1 July when a service opens that will allow EU sellers to meet their UK VAT obligations without having to register in the UK and without double-charging VAT.

Will that not leave the issue of duty unaddressed?

 

[Steven Pritchard]

But in the real world, they don't have the faintest idea! Clearly I'm going to have to suck this up and just send via Aubaines de Phenix in the future.

How does that avoid double VAT?

 

[Alex Lake]

How does that avoid double VAT?

I can bring up to 2 cases of wine back (per adult) without paying extra, can't I?

 

[Steven Pritchard]

I can bring up to 2 cases of wine back (per adult) without paying extra, can't I?

Crikey, not exactly cost effective though!!

 

[Paul Benny]

Will that not leave the issue of duty unaddressed?

Correct. AFAIK the position on excise duties has not changed as a result of Brexit.

 

[Alex Lake]

Crikey, not exactly cost effective though!!

Obviously I wouldn't make a trip specially - that's the whole point of that place to store until one has a cross-channel jaunt (which perhaps we do twice/year) - Obviously it helps if you have a spare adult or two. And I don't buy much in this way.

 

[Raymond Tilney]

Just to add that some EU producers and retailers seem to have things organised.
I have recently ordered from a French producer following positive notes by our leader, (the bottle presentation is by any standards exceptional),
and a Spanish retailer.
Anyway in the same way as with the retailers the UK price was shown without EU taxes and shipping offered including payment of UK Vat and duties, no admin fees.
In fact on this order delivery was free and within a working week.

 

[G. W o l f f]

One day I’ll tell you the story of our adventures trying to import wine, and that’s within the EU!

In Canada we are not legally allowed to "import" wine from one province to another. It's not even a duty-based restriction, as far as I know, just an all out ban. I think that Alberta allows it now (although they don't have any vineyards).

 

[Steven Pritchard]

How much was shipping Ray?

 

[Simon Wheeler]

How much was shipping Ray?

That’s still wine Steve

 

[Steven Pritchard]

That’s still wine Steve

Soda stream on standby....

 

[Raymond Tilney]

How much was shipping Ray?

Steve, It was included so long as the order went over a certain value.
Meant I had to have one less Bourgogne Blanc and one more Puligny M.
I'd always rather pay for wine than diesel

 

[Steve Overy]

£75 bill today for six bottles of sekt that cost £105. £34 of it was admin fee. UPS. One of two boxes; the other was returned to sender. They're totally making it up as they go (UPS).

 

[Paul Benny]

They're totally making it up as they go (UPS).

So, I suspect are other parties, starting with governments. With the Brexit agreement only finalised at the last minute, legislation and procedures are still being formalised. And then freight companies, import agents and customs officials have to become familiar with the new rules.

 

[Steve Overy]

So, I suspect are other parties, starting with governments. With the Brexit agreement only finalised at the last minute, legislation and procedures are still being formalised. And then freight companies, import agents and customs officials have to become familiar with the new rules.

The box arrived today, and it contained 12 bottles of still wine.

 

[Sean Hardon]

If you think UPS make it up as they go along. Justerinis have been auditioning for Jackanory.

Their quote to ship one crate to Belfast was the whale of a story.

Processing Charge £27
Export clearance from GB £40
Export clearance INTO NI £30
Shipping charge £95.

 

[Jonathan Mitchell]

Jonathan,
I received a C&E bill from FedEx well after the wine was delivered. Let us know if there's any follow-up..

No bill received as yet!

 

[Jonathan Mitchell]

If you think UPS make it up as they go along. Justerinis have been auditioning for Jackanory.

Their quote to ship one crate to Belfast was the whale of a story.

Processing Charge £27
Export clearance from GB £40
Export clearance INTO NI £30
Shipping charge £95.

The Northen Ireland thing still seems to vary depending on the courier/postal service one uses. APC will only accept wine for delivery to NI if you have an EOIR number, but don't add any additional charges. Royal Mail are still happy to send wine 1st Class signed for with no additional paperwork as if nothing has changed.

 

[Sean Hardon]

The Northen Ireland thing still seems to vary depending on the courier/postal service one uses. APC will only accept wine for delivery to NI if you have an EOIR number, but don't add any additional charges. Royal Mail are still happy to send wine 1st Class signed for with no additional paperwork as if nothing has changed.

Forgot to say Jonathan, they also wanted an EORI number!

I actually have one through my business, so far this year, I've ordered off a dozen of my suppliers, only one has required a EORI number off me. Anything sent by Royal Mail has gone through without hinder as you say. 2 so far have used couriers, no problems there either.

I've a case of wine coming from Scotland next week, £14 delivery, no additional paperwork. The companies and the couriers have not a notion of how to deal with the situation at hand, customer service was the first thing to be thrown out of the window.

It's bizarre to me how a multi national company like Justerinis can handle a customer in NI and one from London so differently. The price of being able to deliver a crate to London is £15, where as, they consider it a pallet to NI and therefore £95!!

 

[Andy Leslie]

Vinissimus delivery arrived this week without any unexpected extras being applied.

They are now clearly paying U.K. duty and VAT, so my reluctance to use them has pretty much gone. The service is taking longer than expected to deliver - in part they are upfront about this, saying there is more admin to do at their end. I had to have some correspondence with them about my order as it was c.6 weeks with no sign. Instead of a bland corporate emollient reply I received a charmingly exasperated rant from Eva saying they have now changed courier as their UPS contract had been “catastrophic“ - shipments being rejected by UPS for no apparent reason. She says they are back on track for c.2 weeks with the new courier.