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Laithwaites’ success reveals how smaller is more beautiful for wine lovers and makers | City & Business | Finance

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4 years ago

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Now the UK’s largest direct-to-consumer wine seller, the family-run business was begun by Tony Laithwaite 53 years ago after he saw the opportunity to buy bottles of Bordeaux direct from makers. Using a loan from his nan to get going, he transported the stock back home himself. 

Last year the company, whose formal name is Direct Wines, toasted a £450 million turnover and delivered 7,500 different products to domestic customers sourced from 450 producers.

As well as retail operations in the UK and Australia, it also imports wine into the US.

Although now an industry grand cru employing 700 in the UK, Berkshire-based Laithwaites’ modernising, down-to-earth approach has never wavered and it remains a dedicated debunker of wine snootiness.

“Our purpose is to connect wine makers with wine lovers, We sell great quality, good value wines, but not so many of the famous brands,” explains group chief executive David Gates.

“We’re wine nuts, we taste 40,000 wines a year to select our range. As a family business we prefer buying wines from small, family-run vineyards – people who love making wine. It creates an eclectic mix that customers love.

“For decades Tony has found wines from across the track, on one side of a boundary, they can sell for hundreds of pounds, while just a few metres away, so the same everything including grape varieties, they can just cost £25.

“We’re in this for the long term, we don’t have a target multiple to hit for a listing. We always pride ourselves in finding the latest new thing in wine, at present that’s great wines from Greece, Moldova, and Uruguay.”

In parallel to subscriptions holding up held up well and gifting sales continuing to climb, the development of sustainable packaging is also now top of Laithwaites’ agenda. 

Both lighter weight and 100 percent recycled glass along with paper bottles, more eco-friendly closures, and labelling all feature in its products.

A new Tetra Pak has just been launched while bag-in-box wines have become a fixture, their quality now beyond question.

“Sales are up 400 percent in this category. We are working to be net zero by 2035,” remarks Gates.

This year was a vintage summer for grape growers, however, next year has a “stormy feel”, he says as like all companies Laithwaites contends with rising overheads and supply constraints including glass, cardboard, and energy charges.

“We’re still waiting for an upside to Brexit,” observes Gates. “The deposit return scheme launching in August in Scotland and the UK Extended Producer Responsibility in 2024 will both increase administration. Packaging recycling proof notes cost 20 times more than they did 18 months ago.”

The big beast in the room, alcohol duty increases, remains however quiet at present and the hope is a rethink is happening.

Previous tax rise mentions were set to hit the wine industry especially hard with a combined hike of some 20 per cent next year, creating a massive knock-on effects for producers and the hospitality industry.

“We are resilient but are really, really concerned many small businesses such as bars will shut up shop,” says Gates.  

Along with further warehouse automation and digital experience development, Laithwaites will be growing its US operation where it sees big potential delivering European wines to doorsteps.

Championing small growers with multicultural roots, such as those whose heritage is in African and Latin American communities, will be another key focus, epitomising Laithwaites’ approach.

“Currently these growers are under-represented, yet it was their families who picked the grapes,” says Gates. “We are very good at spotting opportunities, now it’s their time.”





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Common ITR Filing Mistakes That Can Trigger An Income Tax Notice

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2 minutes ago

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June 6, 2026

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Filing an Income Tax Return (ITR) is an annual responsibility for millions of taxpayers, but even minor errors can attract unwanted scrutiny from the Income Tax Department. Common mistakes can trigger an income tax notice, which wastes your time and effort

What are the most common filing errors that you can avoid to ensure their returns are accurate and compliant with tax regulations? Here is the answer:

1. Choosing the wrong ITR form

Choosing the wrong ITR form is one of the quickest ways to receive a “defective return” notice or an audit. Each form corresponds to specific financial profiles. If your income sources do not align with the form’s designated criteria, tax authorities will flag the filing.

2. Missing the ITR filing deadline

Missing the due date can result in a late fee of up to Rs 5,000. More importantly, it forces you to file a “belated return”, which strips your ability to carry forward business and capital losses and charges 1% monthly interest on unpaid taxes.

ALSO READ: ITR 2026: What Is Form 39? Here’s How To Save Tax On Salary Arrears After Resigning

3. Quoting the wrong assessment year

Taxpayers often confuse the Financial Year, the year in which you earned the income, with the Assessment Year, the year in which that income is evaluated and taxed. This simple oversight causes severe delays in processing and can attract penalties.

4. Not reporting all sources of income

When taxpayers only declare their primary salary, they overlook secondary earnings. This creates instant discrepancies with the Income Tax Department’s data.

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Cockroach Janta Party Founder Abhijeet Dipke Joins Demonstration At Jantar Mantar Amid Tight Security

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June 6, 2026

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Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), joined hundreds of students and young professionals at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday as the youth staged a protest over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests.

The gathering saw participation from school and college students, many of whom arrived wearing cockroach masks, the symbol of the movement. Several attendees carried flowers, books and the national flag, while some school students were accompanied by their parents.

Students at the venue raised slogans and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Dipke Calls For Peaceful Protest

After arriving in Delhi, Dipke urged supporters to maintain discipline and ensure that the demonstration remained peaceful.

In a post on X, he wrote, “Landed. Looking forward to meet you all at Jantar Mantar. Do not forget to carry a book and our Tiranga.”

He also encouraged protesters to offer flowers to police personnel.

“Offer flowers to policemen as a gesture of compassion & gratitude. We have to lead this movement with love and peace,” Dipke said.

The appeal echoed guidelines issued by the organisation ahead of the protest, which urged participants to avoid confrontation and maintain non-violent conduct.

Security Tightened

With a large turnout expected, security was heightened across the national capital. Additional police personnel were deployed at Indira Gandhi International Airport, border entry points and other sensitive locations.

ALSO READ: CBSE Extends Class 12 Verification, Re-Evaluation Application Deadline: Check New Date Here

Officials said more than 1,000 police personnel were stationed across New Delhi and nearby areas as a precautionary measure.

Despite the heavy security presence, organisers continued to stress that the protest was intended to remain peaceful and focused on student issues.

Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk expressed support for the movement and said he would undertake a six-week fast if Dipke were arrested.

Focus On Exam Concerns

The Cockroach Janta Party has emerged as a prominent online movement highlighting concerns over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests.

The group has sought accountability in cases linked to NEET, CBSE, CUET and SSC examinations, arguing that students deserve a fair and transparent system.

ALSO READ: Tech Layoffs 2026: 1,00,000 Jobs Gone In Five Months As Companies Slash Workforce

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Rs 52,600 Minimum Pay & Fitment Factor Of 3.8, Demands Railways Employees’ Association

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June 6, 2026

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Consultations for the 8th Central Pay Commission are underway. The Indian Railways Technical Supervisors’ Association (IRTSA) is among the groups asking for salary revisions from the central government.

In a memorandum submitted during an interaction with the 8th Pay Commission on May 19 in Hyderabad, IRTSA proposed a hike in minimum pay and higher fitment factors for technical workers. 

IRTSA demanded that the minimum basic salary should be revised to Rs 52,600. It also asked for classifying the post of Senior Section Engineer under Group-B gazetted status. Further it also proposed separate fitment factors for different categories of workers.

The fitment factor is used to calculate the extent to which existing salaries can be revised. 

IRTSA recommended that higher indexing of fitment factors should be followed for safety category posts. It advocated a fitment factor of 2.92 for level-1 posts. For posts in levels 6,7 and 8, the association said the fitment factor should be 3.5 and for levels 9 to 12, 3.8.

The association also put forward the demand for a structured five-grade promotional hierarchy for Junior Engineers (JEs), starting from Level-7.

It also called for the correction of pay anomalies that affect technical supervisors as well as better alignment of pay structures in departments for the equitable treatment of employees with comparable responsibilities.

Also Read: 8th Pay Commission: Big Pension Change Proposed For Senior Citizens; Check Age-Wise Benefits

According to IRTSA’s memorandum, many railway engineers handling critical technical and supervisory functions face prolonged stagnation.

It highlighted how promotion to Group-B suffered from bottlenecks like less number of posts and unjustified comparisons with technical supervisors. IRTSA also asked for the inclusion of a training period for the Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPS) and the implementation of said scheme and its related court judgements. 

The association also discussed allowances for technical supervisors such as night duty, overtime and Production Control Organisation (PCO) allowance with the 8th Pay Commission staff. It opposed the withdrawal of the PCO allowance, claiming that it helps improve productivity.

IRTSA asked for the extension of accident-free service award, risk and hardship allowance to open line engineers as well as staff.

Also Read: 8th Pay Commission: This Employee Body Submits Plea For 3.05 As Fitment Factor; Explains Rationale

Over the past few months, several associations have put forward their demands before the 8th Central Pay Commission. 

As of now, no decision has been taken on IRTSA’s demands. The commission will collect submissions from different stakeholders before presenting its recommendations to the Centre.

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