Breakfast is set to become more expensive for many households in Kolkata, with the price of a 400 gm white sliced bread loaf increasing by Rs 4 in the coming days. The price is expected to rise from Rs 36 to Rs 40 either by June 15 or June 21, depending on the availability of packaging materials with manufacturers, per a report by The Times of India.
Premium bread varieties, including wholewheat and multigrain options, are also expected to become costlier by Rs 5 per loaf.
Price hike to affect lakhs of households
Sliced bread remains one of the most commonly consumed breakfast items across Kolkata, and the latest revision is likely to impact lakhs of families. The increase comes just weeks after milk prices were raised by Rs 2 per litre.
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Major brands including Modern, Metro Gold, Britannia, Barron and Subhnarayan are preparing to revise prices across categories from next week. Moreish has already implemented the hike, reported TOI.
Together, these six brands sell nearly 1.8 lakh sliced bread loaves every day in Kolkata and account for around 60 per cent of the market. Across Kolkata and its suburbs, daily bread sales are estimated at nearly 3 lakh loaves. White sliced bread alone makes up almost half of the overall bread market, per TOI.
Rising input costs behind the move
Manufacturers said increasing production costs have left them with little choice but to raise prices. According to industry representatives, costs have risen steadily since the outbreak of the war in Iran.
This will be the fourth bread price revision in the past four years. Similar increases have already been seen in other cities, with sliced white bread prices in Mumbai rising by Rs 5 last month.
An official quoted by TOI from Modern Bread said several key ingredients have become significantly more expensive.
“Price of margarine and vegetable oil has increased by 15 per cent, gluten by 8 per cent, soya flour by 29 per cent, refined oil by 16 per cent and calcium propionate by 42 per cent. Packaging price has also gone up by 37 per cent,” he pointed out.
Transport and packaging costs add pressure
Apart from raw materials, manufacturers say logistics and packaging expenses have also increased sharply in recent months.
An official of Bakers Point, which markets bread under the Metro Gold brand, told TOI that transport and production costs had risen substantially, adding to the pressure on manufacturers.
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With input costs continuing to climb, the latest increase is expected to be reflected across most bread categories sold in the city.
FAQs:
How much is the price of white sliced bread increasing in Kolkata?
A 400 gm white sliced loaf is set to become Rs 4 costlier, rising from Rs 36 to Rs 40.
Why are bread manufacturers increasing prices?
Manufacturers cite higher costs of ingredients, packaging, transportation and production as the main reasons behind the latest price revision.
