City's liquor sales witness drop by 20%; manufacturers, retailers say it is because of economic slowdown, aftermath of terror attacks
Mumbai's liquor sales witness drop by 20%; manufacturers, retailers say it is because of economic slowdown, aftermath of Mumbaiu00a0terror attacks
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Compared to last year's sale figures, city manufacturers and retailers have noticed a drop in liquor sales by almost 20 per cent. They say it is the result of the economic slowdown and the recent terror attacks.
According to industry experts, people have stopped visiting their favourite hangouts. "The liquor sales in December 2008 and beginning of January 2009 dropped by almost 20 per cent. We have never witnessed such a slack period," said an excise department official. Talking about the initiative taken by the department to boost sales, the officer said, "We are studying the final sales sheet and want to make sure that there are no sales through the black market."
Strong promotions
Meanwhile, liquor companies are heavily investing on product promotion by offering free cases of liquor bottles on the purchase of a few. Liquor manufacturers like United Breweries are heavily focusing on promotional activities in order to make up for the losses by the year-end annual budget. "We conduct at least 50 promotional activities across Mumbai every day. The purchase for liquor by bars and pubs has also dropped drastically," said the spokesperson of United Breweries.u00a0
Zend Zoras, retailer and owner of Peekay Wine Merchants Pvt Ltd, Fort, feels the major drop in sales is because of the market condition, while the terror attacks further enhanced the hit. "Two-hundred-and-fifty cases, containing a dozen bottles each, remained unsold during the New Year season due to the market condition. The increase in prices of foreign liquors has burnt a hole in peoples' pocket," he said.
The business of J W Marriott's Enigma Pub in Juhu has gone down by almost 60 per cent. Gaurav Parekh, event manager for the pub, said, "We have introduced happy hours and also offer discounts on drinks to woo drinkers."
He added that the slack period would continue till March end. Mihir Bijur (27), corporate communications executive, admits that he has been forced to cut down on parties.u00a0 "It is nothing, but a knee-jerk reaction to the current financial scenario in the country that has forced me to party less, as the cost of living has gone high," said Bijur.
Sale figuresu00a0in litres
City Dec 2007:
Indian-Made Foreign Liquor u00a0IMFL: 10,61,364
Wine: 55,055
Country liquor: 11,25,708
Beer: 15,36,527
Dec 2008:
IMFL: 10,33,139
Wine: 50,416
Country liquor: 10,45,863
Beer: 15,21,326
Suburbs Dec 2007:
IMFL: 19,29,403
Wine: 87,391
Country liquor: 23,20,216
Beer: 32,23,480
December 2008:
IMFL: 19,40,177
Wine: 81,769
Country liquor: 21,52,276
Beer: 35,17,237
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