By Andy Young
The Winemakers Federation of Australia (WFA) has told a Senate inquiry that it would like to see supermarket home branded wine properly identified.
The WFA was speaking at the Rural and Regional Affairs Transport Reference Committee’s Australian Grape and Wine Industry hearing, which was taking place in Perth. The hearing was one of a series that have been taking place around Australia as part of an inquiry into the wine industry.
WFA chief executive told the hearing: “What we would like to see is that home brands are identified so consumers can make their choice.”
The comments came as part of the WFA’s push for reforms to the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET). WFA chairman Tony D’Aloisio told the hearing the tax resulted in “price distortion” because home brand wine was made using bulk wine, which was able to attract a WET rebate.
The WFA wants to see the tax reformed and money that is subsequently saved used to boost wine marketing.