Beer sales head north in DK as Covid-19 eases

MANGALURU: The beer sales, that had gone south during the Covid-induced pandemic, with beer lovers avoiding the drink for fear of catching a cold or flu, has now bounced back to normal levels.
According to data provided by the excise department, 22,60,362 boxes of beer were sold this year as against the 17,20,086 boxes in 2021-22.
But the sales of hard liquor have remained stagnant.A total of 27,50,334 boxes of liquor were sold during the financial year that ended on March 31, while it was 27,07,465 boxes in 2021-22.
In 2020-21, 15.94 lakh boxes of beer were sold, and the liquor sale was recorded at 22.79 lakh boxes. In 2015-16, Dakshina Kannada alone used to sell 19.6 lakh boxes of beer.
“Ever since the pandemic struck, there have been few takers for beer. They took a beer break to keep away from Covid-19. However, sales are up in the 2022–23 fiscal year. In fact, there is a short supply of beer not just in Dakshina Kannada, but across the state,” said a senior excise official.
Another official added that beer sales have gone up in the past six months due to rising temperatures. “Millennials prefer beer over liquor. There are others who aslo have ditched liquor and switched to beer due to the sizzling summer this year,” the official said.
Sources also pointed out that in order to stop the distribution of liquor ahead of assembly polls, the excise department has limited the sale by vendors. For example, if a liquor shop sold 100 boxes of beer during the same month last year, it is allowed to lift only an additional 20% of boxes this time. The demand for extra liquor/ beer is discouraged, they said.
According to liquor vendors, they had a tough time selling beer as it has a maximum shelf life of six months. “Currently, there is a demand for beer but not much stock of certain beer brands is available. Besides this, liquor shops used to give discounts or offers on beer, and it has stopped with sales going upward,” shared a liquor vendor.
Bindushree P, deputy commissioner, excise department, Dakshina Kannada, was not available for comments.