Only a month after the price hike in alcohol, a large section of upper middle-class Mumbaikars have given up foreign brands for country-made ones
Only a month after the price hike in alcohol, a large section of upper middle-class Mumbaikars have given up foreign brands for country-made ones
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While many well-meaning citizens celebrated the alcohol price hike in Maharashtra, believing that this would lead to people givingu00a0 up alcohol, just a month after the hike, a dangerous trend has appeared. A substantial number of people have moved from consuming foreign liquor to country-made ones. According to the Maharashtra Wine Merchant Association, ever since the new prices on alcohol kicked in on April 6, as many as 40 per cent of tipplers who otherwise only consumed foreign brands have switched to desi alcohol. 
According to the Maharashtra Wine Merchant Association, ever since the
new prices kicked in, as many as 40 per cent of tipplers have switched to
desi brands.u00a0 PIC/ Datta Kumbharu00a0 (for representation only)
Last month, because of an increase in excise duty and manufacturing costs of bottles, prices of beer and other liquors in Maharashtra went up by over 40 to 60 per cent. For instance, a bottle of White Mischief vodka, which cost Rs 300, is now available for Rs 500, and Bagpiper whisky is now Rs 400 instead of Rs 260. In comparison, the two most popular desi brands GM Santra and Tango Punch, which also underwent a revision of prices on April 6, once cost Rs 95 per bottle, and now sell for Rs 120.
Look who's buying
A wine shop owner from the western suburbs, who requested anonymity, stated that there hasu00a0 been a remarkable rise in the sale of desi brands like GM Santra and Tango Punch. "People from well-to-do families, who only bought expensive liquor now buy desi alcohol," he said.u00a0 "Some even frequent 'aunty' bars (commonly called haath bhatiis) to enjoy a drink," he added.
According to Zorast Zend, proprietor of PK Wines in Crawford Market, one of the oldest wholesalers of liquor in the city, when prices were hiked, customers started buying alcohol from the old stock in bulk. These were priced according to older rates. "But when only fresh stocks became available, things changed. Consumers started feeling the pinch," said Zend.
Freddy N Ginwala, president of Maharashtra Wine Merchant Association, said, "The situation is only going to worsen with time. We are in dialogue with the government, asking them to roll back the taxes." Many of those who have switched to country liquor, apparently hang around wine shops to finish off their drinks. Rajan Parab, a hotel owner from Andheri, said, "While our bars run empty, every evening, there is a long queue of well-dressed people outside wine shops. They consume their alcohol at the counter itself because being seen with a bottle of country-made liquor would be shameful to them."
Jagdish Bhandhare from Sitar Country Bar in Grant Road, which only sells country liquor, said, "People from good families don't like to be seen in our bars. They either hide it in brown paper bags or pour them in empty bottles of well-known brands and consume it."
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