Heineken increasing beer prices by over 10% on January 1

Heineken will increase its beer and cider prices by an average of 10.7 percent on January 1. The beer giant informed catering entrepreneurs in the Netherlands about it on Tuesday. That comes on top of the 5.8 price increase it implemented in August, De Gelderlander reports.

Catering entrepreneurs are despondent. “We are in a vicious cycle, restaurant owner Frans van Breemen of Facet in Rotterdam said to the newspaper. Restaurants are already facing higher energy costs, rent increases, staff shortages, and coronavirus debts waiting to be paid off. It’s difficult to see a way out, he said.

Hospitality association KHN has not yet released an official response, but chairman Rober Willemsen told the newspaper that they are “not amused.”

Heineken also has higher energy bills and more expensive raw materials to deal with, a spokesperson stressed. The brewer is only passing on some of its increased costs. “We absorb part of the costs ourselves. We want to deal with it in a responsible manner, but we cannot avoid passing this on. It is significant, but the price increases are huge,” they said. “We live in unusual times.

According to the Gelderlander, there are rumors that other beer producers will also be hiking prices soon.