Donald Trump has “indefinitely suspended” scheduled tariffs on Mexican imports, but warned the “very profitable” plan could be reinstated. Mexican trade – including the Tequila and mezcal industries – faced a crippling schedule of tax hikes for imports into the US in response to the “sustained influx of illegal aliens” at the US-Mexico border. At the end of May, president Trump announced he was “invoking the authorities granted to [him] by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act” in order to address the “illegal migration crisis”. The plan would have seen the implementation...

The Sultanate of Oman is preparing to introduce a 100% excise tax on alcohol, tobacco and energy drinks in a bid to tackle health issues in the region. The tax will come into effect on 15 June and will include pork products. Carbonated drinks will be hit with a 50% excise tax. According to documents issued by the Secretariat General for Taxation of Oman, the state has been “considering the need to diversify non-hydrocarbon revenues” used to fund improvements to the country’s public healthcare system. The statement continued: “Although Oman’s citizens’ and residents’ overall health...

Food and drink exports from the UK saw record growth in the first quarter of 2019, once again bolstered by whisky – the nation’s most valuable export. According to figures released by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), food and drink exports from the UK grew by 10.7% to £5.8 billion (US$7.3bn), almost twice the growth rate of Q1 2018. Exports of food and drink grew 12.2% to non-EU markets, outperforming growth to EU markets (+9.9%). The UK’s top three export destinations were Ireland, France and the US, while Hong Kong (-18%), Singapore (-8.3%) and the United Arab Emirates (-8.9%) all registered...

Diageo-owned Smirnoff has launched its Welcome Home campaign in the US to support members of the LGBTQIA+ community taking part in Pride celebrations. To create the campaign, Smirnoff partnered with Orange is the New Black actress Laverne Cox; star of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Alyssa Edwards; and Queer Eye television personality, Jonathan Van Ness. Smirnoff Welcome Home will feature a digital video series, an immersive pop-up, limited edition Smirnoff bottles and a float at the New York Pride March on 30 June. Jay Sethi, vice president, Smirnoff at Diageo North America, said: “In the...