​The Addis Ababa Trade Bureau, in collaboration with the bottled water manufacturers association, has officially implemented a new standardized retail pricing structure for bottled water across the capital. This regulatory step aims to stabilize market prices, protect consumer interests, and ensure uniform compliance under existing consumer protection laws.

​Under the Consumer Protection Proclamation No. 813/2006, all merchants are legally mandated to clearly display product prices. To enforce this, the bureau has issued a strict two-day ultimatum for all remaining water manufacturing plants to publicly disclose their pricing, warning that non-compliant enterprises will face immediate distribution bans within the city.

​According to the newly released pricing breakdown, retail costs vary depending on the supplier and brand. For instance, the retail price for a standard one-liter bottle now ranges from 35 birr to 41 birr and 56 santim, though specific economic reasons behind the pricing variance have not been officially detailed by authorities.

​Trade Bureau Head Habiba Siraj announced that similar regulatory frameworks and price adjustments for tanker water delivery services will soon be established in coordination with the Addis Ababa Water and Sewerage Authority. These upcoming measures seek to address ongoing logistical challenges and pricing discrepancies in alternative water supply sectors.

​Meanwhile, bureau inspection teams have stepped up monitoring efforts to ensure that manufacturers strictly adhere to the declared prices at all retail points. Officials emphasize that continuous market surveillance will remain active to deter illegal price gouging and maintain fair trade practices throughout the capital.