Drinks: A probable increase of 100 CFA francs as of May 10

That's the gist of the press conference held on April 29, 2024 in Yaoundé to mark the launch of the 14 th edition of Bartender's Week.

On Monday April 29, the Syndicat national des Exploitants des Débits de Boissons (SYNADEBOC) launched the 14th edition of Bartender Week in Yaoundé. This week, which celebrates the bartending profession and highlights its contribution to the country's economic development, has become a tradition, but this year it has a particularly bitter taste, coming as it does on the eve of a likely increase in beverage prices.

For some time now, barkeepers have been feeling the pinch. Their profit margins are suffering as a result of the many difficulties they encounter in the exercise of their profession, not least the abuse they suffer at the hands of brewery companies who are reluctant to honor their commitment to increase their rebates. “We would like our rebates to be increased from 250 to 500. They haven't been increased for 15 years, yet a resolution was passed at a recent meeting with the brewery companies to do so. Unfortunately, this resolution has not yet been implemented", said Roger Tapa, President of SYNADEBOC. That's why, he concludes, “as of May 10, we want to raise the price of drinks by 100 CFA francs a bottle”.

According to SYNADEBOC members, it is therefore clear that, in the absence of an increase in rebates, they will have no alternative but to increase their profits. This is all the more true given that the managers of the drinking establishments say they are not encouraged by the State, which, instead of supporting them in view of the role they play in reducing unemployment, especially among young people, is instead robbing them. “We have another problem beyond that of rebates, that of our profit margin per bottle, which doesn't amount to much.

In fact, the state gets more than 50% of every bottle sold, and doesn't want consumers to know. The real beneficiary and owner of the pubs is the State, but it doesn't want to take our charges into account. That's why we think the only way to solve our problem is for the State either to lower taxes in the pubs, or to allow us to increase them", Roger Tapa concludes.

However, the threat posed by drinks outlet managers cannot succeed. Cameroonian regulations stipulate that brewery companies must inform distributors of the public prices of drinks, which must first be validated by the Ministry of Commerce.

Julien Efila