The 21 pence-per-pint increase in cider announced yesterday by the Minister for Finance could result in jobs being lost, Bulmers warned today.
The managing director of Bulmers, Clonmel, Mr Brendan McGuinness said the decision was a tax on jobs and a tax on the success of the brand.
He said the price increase had been deferred in agreement with the pub trade and that he was seeking talks with the Government on the increase this evening. The company employs around 500 workers in Clonmel, Co Tipperary.
Mr McGuinness said he was "extremely concerned" about job losses. "Bulmers for historic and cost reasons is selling at or above premium lager prices. To attempt to sell a brand at 21p above premium beers is just not attainable, and the reality is that if we attempt to do that there will be substantial volume loss and with substantial volume loss there will be job losses," he said.
