{"id":127712,"title":"JD Wetherspoon PLC (LON: JDW) shares slumped 4.3% in early trade","publisher":"Share Talk","author":"sharetalk","published":"2025-10-03T10:10:34+00:00","modified":"2025-10-03T10:10:34+00:00","canonical_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/jd-wetherspoon-plc-lon-jdw-shares-slumped-4-3-in-early-trade/","markdown_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/jd-wetherspoon-plc-lon-jdw-shares-slumped-4-3-in-early-trade.md","json_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/jd-wetherspoon-plc-lon-jdw-shares-slumped-4-3-in-early-trade.json","category":"Business & Support Services","categories":["Business & Support Services","Food & Beverages","Food Industry","Technology","Technology, Media & Telecoms"],"tags":["Beer","Tim Martin","Wetherspoon"],"featured_image":"https://i0.wp.com/www.share-talk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/dreamstime_xl_297563348-scaled.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1","format":"news","language":"en-GB","content":"**JD Wetherspoon PLC (LSE: JDW)** shares fell 4.3% in early trading, even as the pub chain reported a 10% rise in profits to £81.4 million and outperformed rivals for the third year in a row.\n\nChairman Tim Martin criticised Labour’s tax policies, saying increases in national insurance, minimum wage and new levies will cost the company £67 million a year and add to inflation. He also argued that pubs are treated unfairly compared to supermarkets.\n\nMr Martin has pledged to keep price rises to a minimum, despite new cost pressures from taxes and energy bills. He said the newly introduced “extended producer responsibility” packaging levy will push the company’s annual costs from £800,000 to £2.4 million.\n\nMartin also criticised so-called “non-commodity” energy charges—taxes and levies added to electricity bills—which he said will increase Wetherspoon’s costs by £7 million a year from this month.\n\nDespite the pressures, Wetherspoon maintained its 12p dividend and saw like-for-like sales grow 5.1%.\n\nMeanwhile, the FTSE 100 was 38 points higher at 9,465.75."}