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5 April 2006
BRUSSELS — Brewer InBev will increase the price of beer in hotels and cafés by 3 percent from 15 May.
The same price rise will take place in shops from 1 July.
InBev blamed the prices rises on the high cost of energy, news agency Belga reported on Friday.
The latest price rise comes after InBev upped its prices last September by 3 percent also.
Rival breweries are now expected to follow suit again.
Retailers and bar owners do not have to pass the costs onto the public, but a glass of beer usually becomes more expensive for the public with each price rise.
The new female chief at InBev recently declared she wanted to increase domestic beer sales via marketing and innovation.
The beer sector therefore responded negatively to the price rises on Wednesday, stressing that higher prices were not the way to boost sales.
The hotel and cafe industry also reacted with a measure of displeasure.
[Copyright Expatica News 2006]
Subject: Belgian news