A new report published by accountancy firm Ernst and Young (EY) has found that UK beer drinkers currently contribute 40 per cent of the total Europe tax bill.

According to the study, the UK has 12 per cent of the European Union (EU) population and 13 per cent of total beer consumption but generates a tax bill worth £3.2bn each year.

The figure is more than five times the level of tax paid by beer drinkers in Germany, while it was also found that the 15 EU countries to raise taxes have failed to generate more revenue.

British Beer and Pub Association chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: "This new report shows the astonishing scale of the tax burden that the UK government is putting on our brewing industry, which remains one of the most important in Europe."

Details: The Contribution made by Beer to the European Economy report