MILLIONS of drinkers face a tax rise for enjoying a tipple in their own home.
The Treasury is considering a levy on spirits from supermarkets or local stores.
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The move would affect drinks such as gin and whisky along with the boom in home cocktail kits.
The industry fears Chancellor Rishi Sunak may introduce the tax lift in his autumn Budget.
In the 17 weeks of lockdown to July 11, Brits spent £7.7billion on alcohol at supermarkets — a rise of £1.9billion on the year before.
The Government is committed to a review of the duty system and has launched a call for evidence on how it could be reformed.
Ministers say the current rules are “complex and arguably outdated”.
Some Tory MPs want the tax on shop booze to be increased to level up the playing field with the ailing pub industry.
A spokesman for the UK Spirits Alliance said: “People stayed home and did the right thing in the pandemic, enjoying a G&T, and are now threatened with tax rises as a result — this is unfair”.
A Treasury spokesman said: “We’ve frozen all alcohol duties at the last two Budgets.”
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