"The 3 yuan drink we used to have has now either gone up to 5 yuan or taken off the shelves. As a post-90s generation, I think it's a pity that those cheap drinks that carry our childhood memories have disappeared like this. ”
The above remarks came from a post-90s consumer, and his feelings represent the voices of many people. In the face of frequent price increases, we seem to have become Xi to it. However, what kind of changes are being underway in the entire beverage industry in mainland China? How should we, as consumers, view this change? Should we continue to pay, or should we resist unreasonable price increases?
The resurgence of soft drink price increases has reached the fifth major price increase#
"3 yuan drinks are disappearing collectively" has recently sparked heated discussions again. Data shows that since 2006, there have been four rounds of price increases in the food and beverage industry in the mainland, and this is the fifth time.
- 2006: Beverage prices began to rise
- 2010: A second wave of price increases appeared
- 2012: The third wave of price increases
- 2017: The fourth wave of price increases
- Current: The fifth wave of price increases
According to the analysis of industry insiders, this is mainly due to the rising sugar prices, packaging materials, operating costs, etc. Among them, the global sugar price in 2022 once reached a 13-year high, which directly pushed up the manufacturing cost of beverages.
Data shows that from 2006 to 2022, the price growth rate of beverages in mainland China has reached as much as 9 times! Nowadays, it is almost difficult to find drinks below 3 yuan in offline supermarkets. This has made the majority of consumers say "accept the difficulty".
There are still preferential options on e-commerce platforms#
"Although it is becoming more and more expensive to buy drinks offline, online search found that there are still many e-commerce companies doing beverage discount activities, and the price will be much lower. "That's how online shoppers feel.
The survey found that compared with offline channels, there are still a lot of drinks of 3 yuan and below on e-commerce platforms. For example, Jingdong has nearly 500 low-cost beverages, with a transaction volume of more than 500 million yuan, and beverages below 3 yuan account for 30% of its total beverages and 40% of its sales.
This is mainly due to the big data management of e-commerce, self-operated distribution and other means, which can help enterprises reduce operating costs. Compared with the cost burden of offline rent and labor, e-commerce platforms can provide consumers with more preferential price options.
Therefore, in the face of rising prices, e-commerce platforms may be able to become a "shield" for us.
Where is the bottom line of brand price increases#
In a market economy, it is not new for companies to determine product pricing based on cost. But excessively high price increases can also hurt brand image and consumer loyalty.
Industry experts pointed out that the price increase of leading enterprises often drives the entire industry to follow up, which is unfair to the majority of consumers. Moreover, the high price is overly dependent on the support of some consumer groups, which is not conducive to the long-term development of the brand.
"When prices go up too much, we also vote our wallets for emerging brands that offer great value for money. This sentence of the consumer expresses an attitude.
In the face of rising prices, both businesses and consumers should remain rational. Price increases are not the only means to improve corporate profits, innovation and cost reduction are king. And we, as consumers, should also understand the factors of rising costs, but say "no" to unreasonable price increases.
Do you also feel helpless about this price increase? or are you happy to accept the price increase? Welcome to leave a message to discuss!