Packaging Materials Price Increase Could Push Up Price Of Bread Again

Manufacturers of packaging materials increased the cost of packaging by over 500 percent. There are fears that these price hikes may trigger general price increases, especially for bread, flour and mealie meal. Some of the manufacturers have gone as far as demanding payment in foreign currency. Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) general manager Lynette Veremu said

Not only have they increased the prices by, in some instances, 700%, but they are also demanding their payments in foreign currency and this is the reason why we have arranged this meeting with them so that we deliberate on the implications to consumers.

Some of the new prices charged by the packaging manufacturers were as follows: one loaf bread packaging plastic US$0,22 from $0,03; 5kg mealie-meal US$0,37 from $0,20; 10kg US$0,60 from $0,37; 20kg US$0,89 from $0,40 and 50kg US$1,20 from $0,56.