Tackle price increases and the winter sales slump

The coming winter will not be a mild one. Manufacturers are already preparing the 2026 price increase and, to apply it as promptly as possible, they are slowing sales now. They are cutting supply, delivering less and limiting access to product far more.
It is the fastest way to reach January with everyone paying the new price list.

But the parallel market works differently. While the factories turn off the tap, one-off opportunities at 2025 prices appear here. Opportunities that can make a difference to your winter… but that last a very short time.
If you don't move fast, they simply disappear.

And that is the real risk: going into January without having taken advantage of those lots and having to absorb the increase just when consumption is at its weakest. It is not a margin problem; it is a sales problem. A badly prepared winter can easily drag on until March and sink anyone's first quarter.

3 practical ideas for buying wisely

1) Seize the opportunities when they come up:
In the parallel market there are no long notice periods or guarantees of continuity. Good lots are not announced twice: they appear, they are bought and they are gone.
If you wait until January, the manufacturer will already have the increase on the table… and you will have no alternative to hold your winter prices.

2) Focus on the SKUs that sustain your sales:
This is not about speculating. It is about securing what your network is going to sell no matter what:
– fast-moving soft drinks and beers
– standard formats
– brands that move volume even in cold weeks
Protecting these SKUs at 2025 prices is what lets you keep selling in February without losing momentum.

3) Don't wait for someone to explain the increase to you:
This year nobody is saying "there will be no increase". They are announcing it, but what they don't tell you is how steep it will be: strong inflation, expensive logistics, soaring transport costs.
If you wait until everything is confirmed, you will be too late. The factories are slowing down now precisely so they can apply the increase as soon as possible.

Now is the time to be in closer contact than ever with the Red Paralela sales team, because in a winter like this the difference is not who buys cheapest… but who reaches March still selling.