Britain’s alcohol and cholocate companies have had a merrier Christmas than usual, after sales to countries in the UK’s latest trade partnership soared.
Sales of Christmassy treats, including chocolate, gin, whisky and sparkling wine, are up “significantly” this year after Britain joined the landmark Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade bloc.
The upbeat economic news comes thanks to the zero percent tariffs levied on the festive tipples, granted by the UK’s newly-approved membership.
Britain joined the CPTPP, a major post-Brexit victory that sees the UK granted access to £12trillion-worth of economies around the world, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
Speaking of her “delight” at joining the group of free-trading nations, Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch predicted it would give British businesses “first-mover advantage in some of the fastest-growing markets in the world”, and would support “jobs and economic growth right across the country”.
