Coca Cola will raise prices at least 3 to 5% in July. They raised prices 2% earlier this year.
They blame the rising costs of resources, due to speculators playing the commodities markets. They also blame the cost of transportation due to high fuel prices.
In China, Coca Cola bottlers will use smaller bottles. Hangzhou bottler already changed its 600 milliliter packages to 500 milliliters in May, but charges the same price.
Industry analysts say the inflation in commodity prices has to be passed on to consumers sooner or later. A month before Coca Cola’s price rise announcement, Smuckers raised prices on its coffee products. Eventually consumers will see more price rises across the food market.
A big factor for commodity price increases is the bad weather most of the United States is experiencing. Cooler, wetter than normal weather in the north west. Massive flooding in the plain states, and mid west. Hotter weather in the east. All these weather extremes are resulting in less crop production. Less crops on the markets will drive the price up.