Sachet water producers justify price hike

The National Association of Sachet and Packaged Water Producers has attributed the GH¢15 per bag increase in sachet water prices to a shortage of essential raw materials needed for production following the Middle East tension.

According to the Association, the scarcity of packaging materials, particularly polymers, has significantly driven up production costs, forcing producers to adjust prices to remain operational.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Thursday, April 2, the Vice President of the Association, Kwame Richard, explained that the situation has been worsened by disruptions in global supply chains.

He clarified that although tensions in the Middle East have had an indirect impact, the primary challenge stems from difficulties in accessing raw materials, leading to a sharp increase in prices.

“Scarcity is a challenge now. The little that we are getting has seen prices increase by about 40%. We therefore have no choice but to appeal to consumers to accept a slight price increase so we can continue producing safe, quality water for Ghanaians,” he stated.

Mr Kwame further indicated that under the new pricing structure, a bag of sachet water will sell at GH¢10 at the factory, while retailers are expected to purchase it at GH¢15, warning that any prices outside the approved range, which takes effect from Monday, April 6, should be considered unauthorised.

He also urged consumers to be cautious and avoid purchasing water products that have not been approved by the Food and Drugs Authority.

“Very soon, we will address bottled water as well. For now, the adjustment applies only to sachets. In no time, we will come back to the bottles. Probably by next week, because the bottle that we use to package the bottled water is also from the same polymer that the sachet is made of,” he added.