Iswai seeks home delivery of liquor

Hyderabad The International Spirits and Wines Association of India (ISWAI), the apex body of the premium alcobev sector, has requested the State government to implement home delivery of liquor against the growing concern over Covid (Omicron). 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.

Referring to a 2020 post-Covid lockdown Local Circles survey on "Consumer pulse on home delivery of liquor," Nita Kapoor, CEO, ISWAI says that the study shows 52 per cent of citizens of the 8,078 polled across the country wanted implementation of home delivery. The survey also finds that majority of consumers of alcoholic beverages called out convenience and social distancing as the two most important reasons for ordering alcohol via home delivery.

The excise department figures available from West Bengal and Maharashtra on the number of orders placed via home delivery of liquor during the pandemic, validate 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.

"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 beside the growth of revenue for States," observes Nita Kapoor.

Kapoor emphasised that "Allowing home delivery to 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 says, "We request the 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 these concerns of licensed retailers as home delivery would make liquor buying convenient for the citizens."