Beer pints short supply hits Zimbabwe

A massive shortage of local beer pints has hit the country.

Delta corporate director Mr George Mutendadzamera said the shortage has been a result of the huge demand of alcohol during the just ended festive season.

The situation has seen many retailers not getting adequate stocks of local alcohol brands.

However, Mr Mutendadzamera said Delta was addressing the issue.

"We are addressing the issue by aggressively injecting the pint pack into the market to meet the increased demand," he said.

"We have invested in a brand new multi-million-dollar bottling line to be commissioned in July this year.

"This will increase our capacity by an additional 600 000 hectolitres (60 million litres) per year."

Retailers said the shortage has been affecting their operations since November last year.

"We are only getting quarts and cans, and this affects business because most people prefer pints," said one retailer who had endured about four hours in a queue at Delta Beverages in Harare.

The beer shortage has resulted in some vendors cashing in on the situation by purchasing all the pints from those who would have managed to buy them and resell in cooler boxes at higher prices.