Brazil: Heineken and Ambev raise beer prices

According to the new "LatAm Beverages" report by Bank of America, Heineken and Ambev implemented price adjustments in July, ranging from 3.3 to 6.1 percent, FreshlyBottled.com reported on September 2.

The financial institution's analysis, which surveyed 19 brands at 1,500 points of sale across Brazil, indicates that the largest increase came from the Heineken Group. Its prices increased by an average of 6.1 percent, with the exception of Devassa, which registered a 24 percent increase. Ambev, for its part, applied a more moderate adjustment of 3.3 percent, although its average price today is 2 percent higher than in May, after having reduced its prices in June.

Among the most relevant brands, Heineken Lager increased 3.4 percent between June and August, a move that led Ambev to respond with increases in Corona and Stella Artois. In the premium segment, other brands recorded increases as well: Amstel increased by 7.5 percent, while Budweiser registered variations between 10 and 13 percent. Spaten showed milder adjustments, between 1 and 3 percent.