CAMRA has joined forces with makers of real cider and perry from across the UK to call for tax reforms that will support high-quality production.

The Campaign has written an open letter urging the Treasury to increase the minimum juice content of cider – the amount needed to be classed as one – to support makers of high-quality versions.

Current tax rules only require cider to contain 35 per cent juice, which means drinks topped up with water or concentrates can be counted as one for tax purposes, which the Campaign thinks misleads consumers.

As strong support grows across the real cider industry, more producers are being encouraged to sign, with the letter due to be delivered at the end of May.

CAMRA’s real ale, cider and perry campaigns director Gillian Hough said: “CAMRA is campaigning for a lasting change to give consumers confidence that when they buy a product marketed as cider it contains at least 50 per cent fresh pressed juice.

“We welcome the government’s decision to expand cider’s ‘farmgate exemption’ into a small producers scheme and are asking that it steps forward to support the makers of high-quality, high-juice ciders and perries by increasing the minimum content for duty purposes.”

CAMRA’s campaign has the backing of many producers.

Cidentro Cider House founder Hiranthi Cook said: “As a new, small cider maker based in Leicestershire producing cider from English apples, using 100 per cent pressed juice, not from concentrate, I’m all for the government increasing the minimum juice content for cider in the UK to at least 50 per cent.

“Furthermore, I would like to see the government introducing a separate category for ciders made using over 90 per cent pressed juice content and not from concentrate which I believe would go a long way in informing consumers of the quality of the cider they are choosing to buy and differentiate the qualities on the market.”

The open letter can be found at https://camra.org.uk/beer-and-cider/cider/cider-and-perry-months/producers-letter