Gov't suspends increment in beer prices until "further notice"

Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Cameroonian Minister of trade, just issued a press release on the suspension of the measure to increase the rates of beers and other alcoholic beverages. Bar owners had increased the prices of beer by 200 f Cfa on every bottle of beer, at the expense of the consumer.

Mincommerce stated that the proposed increase of the price of alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, which was to go into force January 1, 2015, is suspended "until further notice". This decision was taken at the end of a crisis between the Government and consumer associations meeting, held on 31 December in the services of the Prime Minister.

According to the Cameroon League of consumers (CLC), which collected more than 5,000 signatures in 3 days in a filed petition to the Government against the announced increase in prices of alcoholic and soft drinks, if this increase was applied, "the provision contained in the law of finance 2015, would cause between 150 and 600 FCFA per bottle of these beverages".

The CLC thus accused the Department of finance of having decided the revision of excise duty under the Act without have previously associating with stakeholders in accordance with the regulations in force, which is "likely to disturb the social climate.

2015 finance law enacted by Parliament, in section VI, title II, set forth in the section entitled: provisions relating to the value added tax and excise duties, that: "for the specific case of alcoholic beverages, the amount of the rate of 25% excise duty may not be less than: 250 F CFA per litre for beer; 150 F CFA per degree of alcohol per litre for wines, liqueurs and spirits with an alcohol content between 0 ° and 24 °.

200 F CFA per degree of alcohol and per litre for wines, liqueurs and spirits with an alcohol content between 25 ° and 50 °. 250 F CFA per degree of alcohol and per litre for wines, liqueurs and spirits with an alcohol content greater than 50 °.