South Africa on Thursday said it wants to avoid a tit-for-tat alcohol import war with Britain over increased bulk wine sales that have cost jobs in the local bottling industry.

The “very fraught issue” was raised in a meeting between Trade Minister Rob Davies and visiting British business secretary Vince Cable.

“We pointed out that what’s good for exports is good for imports but we don’t want to go in for a tit-for-tat process if we can avoid it,” said Davies, who had earlier warned of possible retaliatory action on whisky imports.

The trend toward bulk wine sales which is a growing commercial move by importers has cost about 1000 jobs in the local bottling industry.

But South Africa has been upset by the British government funded study that said mass sales were a greener trade option for imports from the long haul supplier to its biggest foreign wine buyer.

The meeting won a pledge by Cable that London would not back the argument as trade policy.