The refilling of branded spirit bottles with an alternative brand, which is illegal, also known as tipping.

The vast majority of licensees run well managed businesses in a very competative market place.  It is the small minority that gain an unfair and illegal trading advantage by substituting key spirit brands with cheaper alternatives.

In addition to the competitive advantage they are ripping off their customers. 

As customers have become more aware of this practice the number of complaints, to Trading Standards, has increased and the overall calling rate on on-licensed premises has also increased.

Consequently the substitution rate, the number of on-licensed premises substituting at least one key spirit brand at any one time, has fallen from 8% in 1999 to under 2% in 2006. However, the number of prosecutions is increasing.