Carlsberg Malawi hikes beverage prices
Carlsberg Malawi Limited has raised prices for its non-alcoholic beverages effective yesterday, but has given no reason for the same.
In a statement published yesterday, Carlsberg Malawi said the price increase has affected all non-alcoholic beverages, including the popular Southern Bottlers (Sobo) squashes.
But Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) has alleged that the price hike was a direct result of the banning of the popular Mozambican drink, Frozy.
In an interview yesterday, Cama executive director John Kapito said: “This is unfair because the price increase will affect many Malawians. I had to dig deep into my pocket to buy coke at K250. You see, when we had Frozy in circulation a bottle of Coke was K200, but now since Frozy was banned the price has been adjusted upwards.”
Carlsberg Malawi group marketing manager Gwynyth Mchiela could not be reached for comment on the justification for the price hike.
The new retail price for a 300 millilitres (ml) bottle of Coca Cola is K250 while Cocopina and Cherryplum are going at K220. Coca Cola in cans is now pegged at K400 and a 500 ml bottle of Sobo squash is K600 with a two-litre bottle fetching K1 700.
Recently, Carlsberg AS of Copenhagen sold its 59.48 percent stake in Carlsberg Malawi to French beverage company, Castel Group, after Press Corporation Limited, which owns 39.65 percent in Carlsberg Malawi, failed to exercise pre-emptive rights. n
