Beer Prices Rise as Festive Demand Outpaces Supply

Beer Prices Rise as Festive Demand Outpaces Supply

As the festive season gathers momentum, beer drinkers are facing steeper prices for popular lager brands, with shortages beginning to show in bars, bottle stores and supermarkets.

Since early December, consumers across several towns and cities have been paying more for the same products, as limited supply and rationed deliveries tighten the market.

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Popular Brands Harder to Find

Retailers report that Zambezi, Castle Lager and Carling Black Label are becoming increasingly difficult to source in consistent quantities.

According to The Herald, quart bottles of Zambezi, which normally sell for under US$2.00, are now fetching as much as US$2.50 in some outlets. Castle and Black Label quarts have also risen, with prices creeping toward the US$2.00 mark.

The situation is more severe for pint bottles, which have virtually disappeared from some shelves. Where stock is available, prices have jumped from the standard US$2-for-three deal to as much as US$1 per bottle.

Regional Shortages Add Pressure

Checks in Bulawayo, Rusape and Harare suggest the shortages are not isolated. Some outlets in Bulawayo reported receiving no Zambezi deliveries on certain days, while retailers in Rusape said only limited Black Label supplies were available. In the capital, bar owners said deliveries are being capped, forcing them to ration stock and adjust prices.

Delta Rejects Crisis Narrative

Delta Beverages has, however, rejected claims of a supply crisis, describing the situation as temporary and partly driven by market behaviour.

Group finance director Alex Makamure said production levels remain strong and warned that panic buying and opportunistic pricing by retailers are contributing to the problem.

He said December sales volumes are already ahead of last year, with some brands recording double-digit growth, adding that this does not support claims of a national shortage.

Festive Travel Habits Begin to Change

For consumers, the tightening supply is altering festive routines. Some travellers now prefer to carry their own beer supplies rather than rely on purchases along major routes.

With Christmas days away, uncertainty remains over whether supply will stabilise or prices will continue climbing as demand peaks.

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