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Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter
THE country’s largest beverages maker Delta Beverages has reduced beer prices with effect from today.
The reduction, from $1,00 to $0,90 for pints, and from $1,70 to $1,55 for quarts comes after Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa’s budget statement, which outlined the reduction in excise duty on clear beer from 45 percent to 40 percent with effect from January 1, 2015.

Delta Beverages general manager for Lager beer business unit Dr Munya Nyandoroh said the organisation decided to provide an early cheer for its customers by reducing the beer prices today instead of Thursday.

He said the new prices would also be convenient to customers who would now have the opportunity to use the recently introduced bond coins from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

“Delta Beverages announced a review of beer prices following the reduction of excise duty on clear beer prices with effect from January 1, 2015. However, we’ll reduce beer prices with effect from Monday, December 29. The new prices will result in Zimbabwean consumers paying less for their pints and quarts which will now be sold at $0,90 and $1,55 per unit respectively,” said Dr Nyandoroh in a statement yesterday.

“We’re confident that the new price points will be convenient to our customers and consumers who will now have the opportunity to use the recently announced new bond coins from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

“We applaud this development which we believe will benefit all our stakeholders.”

Dr Nyandoroh applauded the Ministry of Finance for making it possible for Delta Beverages to offer more affordable prices to its customers through the reduction of excise duty on clear beer.

“As most of our customers would remember, the new prices reflect a further reduction on the prices we announced on September 15, 2014.  I continue to acknowledge and thank our customers who’ve been complying with our recommended retail prices and urge them to extend the new prices with effect from Monday, December 29, 2014,” said Dr Nyandoroh.

In September, the beverages maker also reduced beer prices due to dropping sales as a result of low disposable incomes.

In the financial year ended March 31, 2014, the company said lager volumes had declined by 18 percent due to waning demand.