Jug of beer up 20c

Press, 2 April 1985, Page 2

Jug of beer up 20c

PA Wellington Beer drinkers will pay up to 20c more for a jug of beer in public bars from this week. Spirits would rise by about 4c or 5c a nip at the same time, said the Hotel Association yesterday. Each member of the association would decide when exactly the price rises would take place, said the association’s chief executive, Mr Tom Sheehy. He would be surprised if the increases were not in place by the end of the week as Dominion Breweries (last week) and Lion Breweries (at midnight on Sunday) had put up their beer prices 5 per cent.

The price rise passed on to the retail consumer would be about 10 per cent for all liquor, as this would include increases in wage rates recently negotiated, higher freight and power charges, and other increases, Mr Sheehy said. This would see the price of a jug of beer rise 19c to 20c to $2.25 and higher glass prices such as a 200 ml glass rising 4c. The higher wage costs would also be reflected in increased accommodaton and food charges at all establishments, the rises taking place at the discretion of each establishment. “A 10 per cent increase there will not be far away,” Mr Sheehy said.