swiss food giant nestle and liquor group pernod ricard owner of absolut vodka and jameson whiskey announced fresh price hikes on thursday due to inflation even as consumers across the world face a costofliving crunch nestle which makes nespresso capsules maggi bouillons kitkat chocolate bars and purina pet food said sales rose by 84 percent to 944 billion swiss francs 955 billion euros 1023 billion in 2022 but its real internal growth  a measure of sales volumes  was up just 01 percent yearonyear much lower than in 2021 suggesting that consumers were buying fewer of its products last year brought many challenges and tough choices for families communities and businesses nestle chief executive mark schneider said inflation surged to unprecedented levels costofliving pressures intensified and the effects of geopolitical tensions were felt around the world he added referring to the fallout from russias invasion of ukraine the company raised its prices by 82 percent on average last year as the cost of milk grains and energy rose continued pricing action is needed to repair some of the damages weve taken from inflation schneider said in a conference call last week british consumer group unilever which makes magnum ice cream cif surface cleaner and dove soap also reported rising sales in 2022 after raising its prices by 113 percent on average but the group said its sales volume fell 21 percent and warned that it would continue to face higher costs net profits fell by 45 percent to 93 billion francs in 2022 but the comparison with 2021 is deceptive since the disposal of shares nestle held in loreal boosted 2021 earnings for 2023 the company expects sales growth of between six and eight percent when excluding exceptional changes down from the 83 percent registered on this basis in 2022 it hopes to hold if not improve its underlying trading operating profit margin setting a target range of between 170 and 175 percent french spirits giant pernod ricard whose other brands include beefeater gin martell cognac and havana club rum posted a net profit of 18 billion euros 19 billion for the six months to december up 29 percent from the same period in 2021 sales were up 19 percent to 71 billion euros in the same span thanks to a 10percent price hike with more increases looming costs were very high in this first half chief financial officer helene de tissot told afp adding that glass logistics and ingredients such as grains and rectified spirit are more expensive shipping bottles to asia and the united states is one of the groups biggest expenses to protect our margins we raised our prices significantly de tissot said adding that prices would have to go up as production costs remain high