Alcohol stickers are overpriced: Producers
Alcohol stickers are overpriced: Producers
JAKARTA (JP): The row between liquor producers and a private firm trying to control the industry through compulsory labeling is intensifying.
Hatta Arpan, chairman of the Association of Alcoholic Beverage Producers, on Monday accused the company of charging higher prices for the stickers of alcoholic beverages sold in Central Java, violating the ruling of the governor.
He said the governor's ruling states that the price of stickers for drinks with an alcohol content of less than five percent is Rp 75 (3.5 U.S. cent) per bottle or can of less than 500 milliliters/cubic centimeters.
"However, the private firm which controls the labeling, charges Rp 112.50 per bottle," Hatta said, referring to PT Arbamass Multi Invesco, which had been given the authority to supervise the distribution of alcoholic beverages throughout the country.
Executives of Arbamass said recently that the supervision is conducted through the sales of stickers which the company sells to beverage producers.
Without the stickers, alcoholic drinks cannot be sold or distributed legally, said Emir Baramuli of Arbamass.
Hatta noted that the price of stickers for drinks with an alcohol content of over 20 percent, according to the governor's ruling, is Rp 200 per bottle of less than 500 milliliters, while Arbamass charges Rp 300.
"We actually support the central governor's ruling on the labeling of liquor. However, I am unhappy with choice of the labeling authority being given to a private company, which charges higher prices," Hatta said, Antara reported in Semarang, Central Java.
Hatta noted that Arbamass also charges higher prices for stickers in other provinces which the company already controls.
Arbamass claims that it already controls the distribution of liquor in East Java, West Kalimantan, Irian Jaya and South Sulawesi.
Hatta said that members of his association will not pay anything to Arbamass until the issue of its legality to control the liquor distribution is settled.
He complained about the circular letter from Arbamass which stated that starting next month no alcoholic drink can be sold or distributed legally in Central Java without the stickers from the company. (rid)