Beer prices go up in Zimbabwe
The price of beer has gone up by between US10c and US20c with effect from yesterday according to a circular released to wholesalers and retailers by Delta Corporation.
According to the circular, the price of a 375ml brown bottle is now US0,90c from US0,80c while 340ml green bottles are selling at US$1 from US0,80c. Brown bottle quarts will now sell at US$1,75 from US$1,55 while green 660ml bottles are now US$1,80 from US$1,75.
The price of an Eagle brand quart is now US$1,20 up from US$1 while the opaque Shake Shake now sells for US$0,60 up from US$0,50. Prices of soft drinks and a few lines of beer remained unchanged as of yesterday.
At one outlet in the city centre, a pint of Zambezi and Pilsener which were selling for $1 had been increased to $1,50 with a quart previously priced at $1,50 shooting up to $2. Brown bottles of Lion and Castle lagers remained at previous prices of 80 cents at supermarkets and $1 at bottle stores.
Contacted for reasons behind the increases, Delta Beverages marketing manager Patricia Murambinda said she could not comment on the issue and referred journalists to company secretary Alex Makamure who could, however, not be reached as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Delta controls about 96 percent of the beer market and about 92 percent of the sparkling beverages in the country.
Two months after President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party secured a contested landslide victory, the country is steadily showing signs of plunging into a deeper economic crisis.
