Madam, - As the representative body for the packaged beverage industry (soft drinks, bottled water, fruit juices, etc.), we support Mary Harney's call for a reduction in the price of non-alcoholic beverages in pubs.
The producers and wholesale distributors of soft drinks have no control over the prices charged by pubs - each publican decides what to charge for any product.
It is the publican, not the producer or brand owner, who takes the lion's share of the price paid by the customer - and it is the publican who is mainly responsible for the regular price increases.
The ex-factory price of a standard-sized soft drink increased by less than 5 cent over the past two years, but somehow this has translated into a 30 cent increase for the consumer! For example, when a customer hands over €2.20 for a soft drink in a pub, the producer and wholesaler share approximately 45 cent between them, the VAT man takes 38 cent and the publican takes €1.36, i.e. 75 per cent after VAT!
Clearly, nobody should expect to pay supermarket prices in a pub, but equally people should expect to pay a fair and reasonable price for the privilege of having a non-alcoholic drink. The suggestion by Dublin vintners that they would reduce prices on bank holiday weekends is farcical - and insulting to consumers who might like to have a soft drink at any other time, not to mention "designated drivers", who should be encouraged all year round basis.
The BCI recognises that the current trading climate is not an easy one for publicans. But non-alcoholic drinks are not a significant part of a publican's business and the prices charged for them are resulting in criticism that can be quickly and easily removed. - Yours, etc.,
BERNARD MURPHY, Executive Director, Beverage Council of Ireland, Naas Road Business Park, Dublin 12.