Shops, nightspots hold prices for now

SINGAPORE - Consumers who buy booze from liquor stores or at most nightspots will not have to pay more - at least for this weekend.

Cellarbration, which has five outlets here, said that it will be holding off any price increases on all its beers, spirits and wines until the stocks that were bought before last week's alcohol tax hike run out.

Said the executive director of its parent company, Octopus Group, Ms Elaine Teh: "Business ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do, and what is right to do."

Alcohol distributor Moet Hennessy Diageo Singapore is also sparing its customers from the price increase on all alcohol orders until March 7.

Its general manager, Ms Karen Ong, told business partners in a Feb25 letter that it will start passing on the extra alcohol levies on the following working day, on March 10.

Nightspots such as Zouk have said that they will not be increasing the prices of their drinks this weekend. "As soon as we hear from all the liquor suppliers, we will make adjustments accordingly," said Mr Timothy Chia, Zouk's head of marketing and events.

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