Carlsberg angers free trade
Carlsberg has rocked the free trade by introducing a delivery supplement charge.
The brewer will introduce a charge of £5 to all scheduled deliveries and £10 to all unscheduled deliveries from 5 November.
The news comes as a bombshell to licensees already struggling to cope with a poor summer's trade and increased utility costs and regulation.
It is the same as me saying to my customers yes you can book a table but I will charge you a £2 surchargePaul MallettNew Fountain Inn
Carlsberg says charges have been increased because the "cost of transportation continues to increase with record oil prices, fuel duty increases, and environmental charges now becoming significant".
It has also ramped up its "Container Charge" on kegs to 90p on 30L, 50L and 9 gallon containers and to 50p for 19 gallon containers. This is to "reflect the huge impact container loss has on our business".
Carlsberg claims the industry spent £60m on replacement containers last year.
The brewer says it has "decided not to increase it's own core brand wholesale beer prices in 2007" - of which there are two months remaining.
Traditionally beer prices have risen in late February or early March. Last year Carlsberg broke the mould and increased its prices twice in one year by announcing a 5% increase in October blaming rising energy costs and a malt shortage - it had already raised prices by 3% in February that year.
Paul Mallett, freehold owner of the New Fountain Inn in Whimple, Exeter, is irate about the news. "Why do they always expect us to absorb the costs and pass it on to our customers," he said.
"It's an insult. The small breweries go out of their way to help you out with deliveries so why are the big brewers insulting us. It is the same as me saying to my customers 'yes you can book a table but I will charge you a £2 surcharge'.
"It's ridiculous - what is next? Will they make us go and pick the beer up as well?"
