Don W wrote:
On 11 Jul 2006, Ron wrote:

Don W wrote:
I can get a bottle of 50% isopropyl alcohol here in the UK from a
dicount store for about 0.70 UK Pounds (approx 1 US dollar). I
use it for general household cleaning.

The bottle is 473 ml (1 US pint). The 50% is by volume.

Alcohol is so heavily taxed in the UK and this is particularly
cheap. I suspect that the price of 0.70 UKP many not cover the
cost of the UK tax due on it.

Does anyone know how much UK tax should be paid on 230 ml of
isopropyl alcohol?

Only the dreaded VAT. No duty on IPA - 'cos no one drinks it. Had
it been ethanol.....


No duty?

U pay about £4.50 for 500ml of isopropyl at my local chemist. I
thought the high-ish price was mainly for duty.

Am I being way over-charged?

You are paying for someone(s) to bottle it, store it in bottles, pack it,
distribute it, allow for breakage and clean up - now you know how the
farmers feel with their milk prices...
Off hand, I would estimate that the buying price is around 150-200GBP for a
200 litre drum - but you would not be able (as a private person) to buy a
drum in the UK.


--
Ron Jones
Process Safety & Development Specialist
Don't repeat history, unreported chemical lab/plant near misses at
http://www.crhf.org.uk Only two things are certain: The universe and
human stupidity; and I'm not certain about the universe. ~ Albert
Einstein