MONTREAL —
Get ready to pay more for booze in Quebec.
Quebec’s liquor board announced Monday that price hikes will take effect Sunday.
It’s the second price hike this year with the first taking place at the beginning of March.
The SAQ (Societe des alcools du Quebec) said in a news release that the prices reflect higher freight charges.
The average increase is limited to $0.13 or .7 per cent.
The increase will affect 2,306 products.
“In recent weeks, the SAQ has spared no effort to reduce the freight charge increases initially announced by its freight forwarders,” the SAQ said in its release. “The work of its teams has succeeded in limiting the effects of these freight forwarder-imposed increases on retail prices.”
The SAQ said ongoing ocean transport instability has forced freight forwarders to delay orders and several major ports are congested.
“The situation is further complicated by the scarcity of empty shipping containers on the market,” the SAQ said. “This instability, which is affecting several industries and the prices of many goods, has led the SAQ’s main freight forwarders to impose hefty surcharges on the shipping fees for products from several regions of the world in recent months.”
