Prepacked still and sparkling wine quantities
Guidance for businesses and consumers on the Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) (Amendment) Regulations 2024.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
1) Introduction
This guidance is designed to help businesses make use of the new and aligned prepacked wine quantities introduced by the Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (referred to in this document as the ‘2024 Regulations’).
The 2024 Regulations allow prepacked still wine and prepacked sparkling wine to be sold in a greater range of quantities. The legislation aligns some existing quantities for prepacked still and sparkling wine and introduces one new quantity. The changes mean that, from 19 September 2024, prepacked still wine can be sold in 200ml and 568ml quantities, and prepacked sparkling wine can be sold in 500ml and 568ml quantities (alongside the existing quantities currently available for each).
The new legislation brings more consistency to the quantities that prepacked still and sparkling wine can be sold in. The introduction of new wine quantities creates more choice and flexibility for businesses and consumers.
2) Legislative background
Most alcoholic drinks can be sold only in fixed ‘specified’ quantities. It is a criminal offence to sell those alcohols in quantities which are not listed in the legislation as specified quantities.
The legislation which regulates alcohol quantities is the Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) Order 1988 (referred to in this document as ‘the 1988 Order’). Schedule A1 of the 1988 Order sets out the list of specified quantities for prepacked alcohols.
The 2024 Regulations amend Schedule A1 of the 1988 Order to introduce new specified quantities that prepacked still and prepacked sparkling wine can be sold in. The specified quantities that other types of prepacked alcohols can be sold in are not affected by the 2024 Regulations.
3) Scope
The 2024 Regulations introduce new specified quantities for prepacked still and prepacked sparkling wine.
Prepacked wine refers to any still or sparkling wine that has been made up in advance ready for retail sale or wholesale in a securely closed container, such as a bottle.
Previously, prepacked still wine could not be sold in 200ml or 568ml quantities and prepacked sparkling wine could not be sold in 500ml or 568ml quantities. The changes mean that these quantities can now be sold.
The changes are optional; you can sell in the new quantities if you choose to, but all the existing quantities remain available.
Non-prepacked wine, including wine sold by the glass in pubs and restaurants, is not affected by the 2024 Regulations.
The following table lists the specified quantities that prepacked still and sparkling wine can be sold in.
| Type | Volume by millilitre (ml) |
|---|---|
| Prepacked still wine | 100, 187, 200, 250, 375, 500, 568, 750, 1000, 1500 |
| Prepacked sparkling wine | 125, 200, 375, 500, 568, 750, 1500 |
The 2024 Regulations apply to England, Scotland and Wales. Still and sparkling wine packaged in accordance with these new regulatory requirements will be able to be sold by retailers in Northern Ireland when moved under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme.