Soft-drinks shortage resurfaces, CAMA lambasts Carlsberg Malawi
Malawi has been hit by the recurring shortage of soft drinks on the market a situation which occurs every year during the summer.
Since last month there has been shortage of soft drinks such as Fanta, Sprite, Ginger, Cherry plum and other products with retailers and vendors forced to scramble for whatever available soft drinks on the market.
The only products that are abundantly available are alcoholic beverages.
The acute shortage supply of soft drinks has resulted in some vendors and retailers scrambling with retail consumer for supplies available in main retailing outlets like Peoples and Mc Cornell shops.
But Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) Executive Director, John Kapito has lambasted Carlsberg Malawi for failing to improve the situation which occurs almost every year.
“It is indeed becoming a habit by Carlsberg Malawi through its subsidiary Southern Bottlers Limited that as we approach the hot season every year there is shortages of drinks of all kinds. The question is why we continue having the very same scarcities year in year out, and why they are failing to learn and improve on their
weaknesses?” wondered Kapito.
Kapito also wondered why the company was still protected when the market was liberalised; arguing the company is as good as dead despite the protection it gets from State or economy.
“The Malawi market we are told has been liberalised why then do we continue to protect non-performing industries? Infact the protection that this company has been unfairly given has failed us other than
assisting the industry to improve. I am sure this company would have a regional power by now exporting within the region if it was given some competition,” said Kapito.
He added: “Competition plays a big role in the improvement of services by industry. It’s now fifty years with a non-performing Southern Bottlers Limited. Fifty years of a company that cannot compete regionally, fifty years of a company that has failed to develop new exotic products for the new growing market and generation; it still
produces drinks with a lot of foreign materials.”
The consumer and human rights activist said time was ripe for SBL to improve and introduce new and innovative products on the market, wondering why it is failing to meet the demand of a small market like Malawi.
Last year Carlsberg Malawi staged the campaign “Bring Back a Glass” to help the company have enough bottles for packaging and thereby address a shortage of soft and alcoholic drinks in the country.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Kapita,mind You are a people’s voice.Never criticise for your stomarch’s benefit,talk of night-day price hike of basic needs (groceries,foods,house rentals etc) not scarcity of soft drinks.What for?
More painful is that the little which SOBO is supplying in Mangochi Metro,the Metro staff hoard it and have Opened wholesales in their homes.Imagine selling a crate of soft drinks at MK2800.00! Check at Ntalimanja !
Fanta lero?masiku ano anthu amadalira thobwa,akapito yendani muwone.ndiye chofunika chimanga chisasowe basi.fanta olo atamwa bwanji samamveka,bola ndinu amaworkshop koma okumba ngalande,mapipe amadzi,maporo amagetsi,oheda matumba limakhalabwino ndi thobwa chifukwa limakhalaso lotchipa mtengo.
Depriving cashgaters of the pleasure of sipping ice cold Cocopina and Cherry Plum while floating in their soon to be confiscated swimming pools in Area 43 is a national disgrace. Don’t they know these people are about to eat nsima mixed with cement in jail and need their last days of freedom to be fizzy? The people responsible for this travesty should be dragged from their offices and publicaly beaten. First world problems in the third world. Incredible.
A kapito ma appointments akuphonyani mwati mulalate za fanta, kumudzi vuto ndi njala osati fanta wanuyoyi…..ife satipindulira. yankhulani za kukwera mtengo kwa zakudya
You should be happy these are the poisons that are killing you.
Why should w ebe talking about shortage of FANTA as if its food. Please Mr Kapita sometimes silence is wisdom. These drinks are not even good for ones health and you are promoting them.
Yohane Kapito it appears you have nothing to do to impress Malawians . What you know ndi makani opanda ntchito khalupa iwe. In fact there are a lot of consumer issues worthy addressing. Is it a secret that most of the big shops are selling expired products? What about counterfeit products from Area 2 Indian shops. What do you do to curtail this? You are just toothless and noisy for nothing.
This has been a problem for so long. Every year we experience this during the hot season. While healthy guys will tell you that soft drinks are not good for your health, let those who want to kill themselves with Fantas of this world be able to access them. Why is it difficult for Southern Bottlers to produce in abundance during the cold season and release the stock in dry season. Are we really serious as a country?
#11. if you have nothing to say please stay quit ndinu aja oti no Maize kuli njala even if you have enough Rice; Mbuli