Amazon halts alcohol sales in NIreland due to Brexit customs rules

Amazon has stopped selling wines, beers and spirits to Northern Ireland along with a longer list of products due to new Brexit customs rules.

According to UK broadcaster ITV, the online retailer is concerned that excise duty will now have to be paid twice on shipments of alcohol which are sent from the British mainland across the Irish Sea to Northern Ireland.

To keep the border open between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, a separate agreement was struck with the UK to implement a regulatory border in the Irish Sea between both islands.

The British government denied those goods would be taxed twice and added that the majority of parcels continued to move smoothly between both areas.

“These goods will not be taxed twice, and we will issue new guidance clarifying the position to ensure any remaining issues are addressed,” a government spokesman said on Tuesday.