LONDON, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Pint-sized bottles of wine will be sold in the United Kingdom (UK) for the first time in 2024, the Department for Business and Trade said on Wednesday.
The bottles will be introduced to Britain's supermarket shelves, pubs, clubs and restaurants "thanks to new freedoms from leaving the European Union (EU)," the government said.
The pint size bottles, equaling 568 ml, will sit alongside the existing 200 ml and 500 ml measures to provide customers with increased flexibility and choice.
"Our exit from the EU was all about moments just like this, where we can seize new opportunities and provide a real boost to our Great British wineries and further growing the economy," commented Kevin Hollinrake, UK minister for enterprise, markets and small business.
According to the government, 900 vineyards would "benefit from the new freedoms, boosting production and supporting British businesses."
The 2022 data by Wines of Great Britain, an independent association, showed that the country's wine industry currently produce around 12.2 million bottles of still or sparkling wine annually.
The changes will also allow the sale of new volumes of both prepacked still and sparkling wine in sizes of 200 ml and 500 ml. Currently, still wine in 200 ml and sparkling wine in 500 ml sizes are not available for sale.
The Department for Business and Trade added in a statement that although the UK looked at changing laws regarding units of measurement after its departure from the EU, the government has decided not to introduce any new legislation at this time. Enditeme