Premium liquor manufacturers urge Maharashtra to continue with home delivery of liquor

MUMBAI: The International Spirits & Wines Association of India (

ISWAI

), the apex body of the premium AlcoBev manufacturing companies, has strongly urged the

state government

to consider and implement home delivery of liquor as the long-term policy amid growing concern for fresh

Covid

(Omicron) wave and may be more such in future.

The current festive months are the peak consumption period for the industry, and regularising/formalising of home delivery will ensure minimal disruption to the industry, ensure citizen convenience, and also protect jobs whilst protecting state revenue from the alcobev industry, the association has said in its appeal.

The association has also shown its willingness to to partner with the states to build comprehensive regulations and safeguards, inculcating a practice of responsible consumption.

Underlining the need to implement online liquor delivery forever, Nita

Kapoor

, ISWAI CEO, pointed out the findings of the 2020 post-Covid lockdown “Consumer pulse on home delivery of liquor” survey by 'Local circles' which showed 52% of the total 8,078 citizens who polled across the country wanting state administrations to implement ‘home delivery solution’. The survey also reaffirms that the majority of consumers of alcoholic beverages called out convenience & social distancing as the two most important reasons for ordering alcohol via home delivery, she pointed out.

According to Kapoor the excise department figures available from the states of West Bengal and Maharashtra on the number of orders placed via home delivery of liquor during the pandemic validates the argument for home delivery. West Bengal recorded a total order count of 1.91 lakh home deliveries with a registered buyer count of around 1.5 lakh whereas Maharashtra recorded close to 60 lakh home deliveries between May 15, 2020, and March 31, 2021.

Kapoor further stated, “Given the demand among citizens in all the states, we believe that if the home delivery model is regularised with all the necessary regulations in place, going forward, this could become a potential channel for encouraging responsible drinking besides the growth of revenue for states”.

With the uncertainty of the new Omicron variant and fear of a growing number of cases in India, especially in Maharashtra, most state governments are vigilant and announcing strict and prompt containment action at the local and district levels. Kapoor emphasised that "home delivery be included as a permanent feature of the excise policies of the states to cater to consumer demands and minimise industry disruptions during the covid surge”.

Suresh Menon, Secretary-General, ISWAI has requested state government to reinforce and frame standard home delivery norms to ensure that there’s no harassment from authorities and no delivery is done to underage consumers. Addressing the concerns of licensed retailers regarding home delivery would make liquor buying convenient for the citizens of the state, he said adding that “Allowing home delivery of liquor to continue will address the problem of the low retail density of AlcoBev outlets, which minimises the reach of brands, and will restrict the sale of counterfeit liquor through informal supply chains, curb underage consumption, that they otherwise lose to such illicit sellers. The revenue of the State Government will also get protected as only the duty-paid and genuine products will be sourced from licensed retailers and delivered by the retailers’ employees, or by their authorised agents.”



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