Coffee shop drink prices may go up

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KUCHING: Consumers may have to pay more for their drinks in coffee shops here soon due to the increase in price of sugar effective Jan 1.

CHUO LANG KWONG

CHUO LANG KWONG

The new price of sugar is RM1.75 in Sarawak and Sabah and RM1.65 in the Peninsular Malaysia.

Kuching Division of Coffee Shops and Restaurant Owners’ Association chairman Chuo Lang Kwong yesterday said the association would make their decision on the price of drinks later in the week.

He said an announcement would be made after the association’s 24 new committee members meet for a discussion.

“We are currently having our fresh election of committee members. Therefore, we can only meet after the election. Hopefully, it could be done within a week,” he said.

Although the association places priority on its members, it would not simply raise prices and burden consumers, said Chuo.

“However, for coffee shops which are not our members, it is beyond our control if they have decided to increase the price,” he said, adding that the association had over 300 members. He pointed out that members were not allowed to increase the prices of drinks unless approved by the association.

Chuo said the increase in the price of sugar would create a domino effect on other things, which would subsequently have an impact on consumers.

“I believe with the increase of the price of sugar, the price for other food items such as condensed milk, canned drinks would increase too,” he said.

He said even though the price of sugar has increased by 20 sen, some irresponsible business owners would take the opportunity to raise the price of their products indiscriminately.

He therefore called on the government to reconsider the decision to increase the sugar price. He added that the average consumption of sugar in coffee shops could be as high as eight kg a day.

“I believe the government should have sufficient stocks of sugar, therefore, I don’t understand why there is a shortage of sugar in some places,” he said, stressing that the government should take stern action on the smuggling or hoarding of sugar.