Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
Do you need to notify AWRS when changing distribution partners or production partners?
The community's experience suggests notification requirements differ by partner type. - **Production partner changes** — Members recommend notifying AWRS when you change production partners, as this is considered a material change to your operation. - **Distribution partner changes** — The consensus is that you likely don't need to notify AWRS when switching distributors (at least one member didn't and had no issues), though one member suggested it's "worth notifying distributor change at the same time just in case" to cover yourself. **Caveat:** This is based on members' practical experience rather than formal confirmation. For absolute certainty on AWRS requirements, confirming directly with AWRS would be prudent, especially for production changes which are more likely to require notification.
What address should a UK drinks producer include on product labels—their own, the distributor's, or both?
For UK-produced products sold domestically, you must include a UK address for consumer complaints, but you don't need to include your distributor's address on the label. **Key points:** - **UK address requirement** — UK law requires a UK address on labels so consumers have a point of contact for complaints. This is a legal necessity post-Brexit (previously EU addresses were acceptable). - **Distributor address not required** — While your distributor may request their address appear on labels, it's not a legal requirement. Members advised against including it, as it creates operational friction if you ever change distributors. - **Market-specific rules** — Some markets (particularly outside the UK) have different requirements, such as "imported and distributed by" statements, sometimes requiring stickers. Check legislation for your specific sales territories.