Carlsberg announces beer price hike

2 February, 2009

Carlsberg UK has announced it is to hike trade prices of its beers by an average of 2.8 per cent.

The move will take effect from Monday, March 2.

Chris Houlton, Carlsberg UK sales and distribution director, said: “Carlsberg UK fully understand the demands that the on-trade is under and has endeavoured to minimise the price rise as far as possible, which has been made necessary by the increases in material and production costs that the business has incurred.

“Over the last 12 months we have worked very hard as a business to deliver price increases that are significantly lower than our competitors.”

So far this year Stella Artois brewer InBev has announced a seven per cent rise in prices, Diageo, which owns the Guinness brand 5.4 per cent, and Scottish & Newcastle 5.7 per cent.

Last week Suffolk brewer Adnams said it was keeping prices of its products to all customers at the same level as last year. And Stockport based Frederic Robinson announced its 400 licensees would also be paying 2008 prices for its beers.

Carlsberg also pointed to its We Deliver More service which has been set up to support the on-trade.