The Bangladesh Competition Commission is scrutinizing bottled mineral water producers amid a 33% surge in prices over the last six months. The commission suspects collusion among leading producers, violating the Competition Act, prompting a request for detailed manufacturing-cost breakdowns.
Companies argued that rising raw material costs, import values, taxes, currency devaluation, supplementary taxes, and logistical expenses led to price adjustments. During the period, a half-liter bottle of water saw a 33% increase to Tk 20. A meeting on October 3 was skipped by companies, leading to a second meeting. Representatives from CocaCola and Meghna Group cited cost factors for price hikes. The commission seeks cost sheets for market analysis and will take legal action based on recommendations.