Wholesalers subject to supplier increases

With Carlserg and Heineken having increased their prices in the UK in the wake of similar Molson Coors & AB InBev price increases earlier this year there, so far only a couple of suppliers here have moved pricing up for 2017.

Diageo has put in place an increase of 3.2% for retailers and wholesalers on all its packaged beer products while C&C/Bulmers has put up its price to wholesalers by around 3.5% according to trade sources.

“This is the first pricing increase on packaged beer in  more than four years and has been necessitated by increasing wage and related costs and the need to maintain investment levels,” Diageo Ireland told Drinks Industry Ireland, “Throughout the recession and recent recovery Diageo has worked to minimise pricing changes, but a small pricing change is necessary at this stage in take-home products in order to ensure a sustainable business for the future.”