The SAQ price rises and the markup rises

Prices will rise in the SAQ in May, according to the Crown Corporation.

Wines priced at $15 or less are excluded from the price increase.

SAQ President and CEO Jacques Farcy made the announcement Monday at a press conference in Montreal, along with Chief Financial Officer Edith Fillion.

“The increase represents the gross margin of the public corporation after paying the supplier for the bottle,” Filion explained.

Farsi explained that this “moderate adjustment” was necessitated by the SAQ's increasing operating costs.

According to him, SAQ will reduce the price from 2017.

“For example, a price adjustment for $25 wine would mean a 0.6 percent increase, while the increase would be the same for $45 spirits,” Farsi said.

SAQ also offers suppliers more flexibility in when they can ask for price increases.

They cannot apply more than twice a year.

This report from La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews.