Costlier to repel mosquitoes

Aarati Krishnan

DESPITE bruising competition and a host of alternatives in the market, leading brands of mosquito repellents have managed to effect significant price increases over the past year. Most mosquito repellents use the same active ingredient — an insecticide called Allethrin.

Price increases in mosquito mats have been of the order of 4 per cent, with GoodKinght hiking the MRP of its 30s pack from Rs 45 to Rs 47.

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The GoodKnight 3s pack, which continues to have its MRP pegged at Rs 4 per pack, is cheaper on per-unit basis. In the coils category, the increases in MRP have ranged between 5 and 7 per cent, with all of the three leading brands — GoodKnight, Jet and Mortein — pegging up the MRP of their 10s packs by Re 1.

Both Mortein and Jet offer freebies with their pack, which may help soften the blow. Of the various categories, liquid mosquito repellents have probably seen the sharpest price increases, as manufacturers have pegged up the MRPs of both the machines and the refills. All Out- Pluggy, among the first liquidators to be available in the market, has effected the steepest hike in its MRP.

The MRP of the liquidator machine has been hiked from Rs 54 to Rs 63, while the refill has seen its MRP hiked from Rs 63 to Rs 72. Most other brands have followed suit.

While hiking the MRPs, the manufacturers have been trying to woo consumers with claims of higher potency and longer life for their products. Both Mortein and GoodKnight for instance, now offer 10-hour coils, designed to last through the night.

(The data have been sourced from Subhiksha, the Chennai-based discount retailing chain. The data pertain to the Chennai market only)