KARACHI, March 7: Beverage manufacturers have increased the prices, ranging from Re1 to Rs5, of various soft drinks.

The new prices were effective from March 5, officials in beverage industry said.

Lovers of Pepsi, Coca Cola and other brands of soft drinks, are now paying Re1 more to buy a regular bottle at Rs 9 as compared to Rs8, as its wholesale price of (24 bottles cases) has been surged to Rs192 from Rs167.

The one litre bottle now carries a price tag of Rs30 as compared to Rs25. Its wholesale prices (12 bottles of one litres) have now gone up to Rs276 from Rs342. The wholesale price of 1.5 litre case, carrying six bottles, have been enhanced to Rs285 from Rs258. As a result, consumers are now buying 1.5 litre bottle at Rs50 as compared to Rs45.

The disposable bottle, previously selling at Rs12, is now being sold at Rs15.

The chairman, Pakistan Beverage Manufacturers Association (PBMA), Siraj Kassam Teli attributed the soft drink price hike to increase in utility bills, gas and power tariffs and high transportation cost, resulting in higher production cost.

Dispelling the impression that the price-hike has been made in view of rising demand in summer, he said the companies have kept the prices frozen since the last two and a half to three years and have been absorbing the fluctuations in duty and taxes and flare-up in utility charges.

He said in the last three years, every consumer item has surged phenomenally except for the soft drinks.

Teli said that the industry has been experiencing a growth in production of five to 10 per cent every year and the production of soft drinks are estimated at 120 million cases per annum.