Alcohol

The Karnataka government has implemented an Alcohol-in-Beverage (AIB)-based excise duty structure in the state and revised the rates of liquor. In a press note issued on Sunday, the State Excise Department said the new taxation structure, which has been done for the first time in India in line with the 2026-27 Budget announcement of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, was aimed at rationalising liquor pricing, making alcoholic beverages available at cheaper rates for consumers in Karnataka and aligning prices with neighbouring states, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Kerala. "For the first time in India, the AIB-based excise duty structure has been implemented in Karnataka from May 11, 2026. It is globally recognised as the gold standard for alcohol taxation," the department said. Under the new policy, the government-administered price fixation has been completely deregulated, it said, and added that product placement within slabs has been left to the ...

Diageo India reports resilient quarterly growth led by premium portfolio despite adverse impact from Maharashtra liquor policy changes

Alcoholic beverage makers have sought a reasonable price hike from state governments to deal with pressures arising out of rising can and bottle costs due to supply chain disruptions triggered by the West Asia crisis. Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) and the Brewers Association of India (BAI) have urged states to allow revisions of IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor), wine and beer products and provide interim relief measures to help manufacturers cope with rising production costs. BAI has asked state governments to allow suppliers a price increase of 15-20 per cent to partially offset the impact of rising input costs. In letters sent to state governments, BAI Director General Vinod Giri said the conflict has triggered a sharp increase in input costs across categories. "Glass bottle prices have risen by around 20 per cent, paper cartons have increased by almost 100 per cent, and materials such as LDPE, BOPP and adhesives have become costlier by 20-25 per .

Piccadily Agro Industries Ltd, maker of single malt whisky Indri and Camikara Rum, has reported a 13.6 per cent increase in its net profit to Rs 45.22 crore for the March quarter of FY26 on a year-on-year basis, driven by its premium alchoBev portfolio. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 39.80 crore in the January-March quarter a year ago, according to a regulatory filing by Piccadily Agro. Its sales rose 31.8 per cent to Rs 353.69 crore in the December quarter of FY26, compared to Rs 268.23 crore in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. Revenue from the operation of Siddhartha Sharma-promoted company stood at Rs 359.56 crore in Q4 FY26, up 32.37 per cent from the year-ago period. Total expenses of Piccadily Agro, which is demerging its sugar business and expects completion by the end of FY27, were at 300.86 crore in the March quarter, up 36.37 per cent year-on-year. During the quarter, revenue from "distillery grew by 65.6 per cent and sugar declined by 7.9 per

Alcobev firms may see margins shrink 150-200 bps and growth slow as glass bottle shortages and rising packaging costs, driven by LNG disruptions, weigh on operations

ABD appoints Amar Sinha as managing director as Alok Gupta's tenure nears end, aiming to drive growth and transformation in India's premiumising spirits market

Gen Z is driving a shift from volume to value in India's alcobev market, favouring premium, experience-led consumption, low-ABV formats, and authenticity over brand loyalty

Sale of RCB stake to boost cash flows and support deleveraging, while premiumisation and policy shifts underpin steady growth outlook for United Spirits

Instead of steep hikes, states are relying on licence fee increases, reserve price revisions, and recalibration of tax

Karnataka will end liquor price control and adopt an alcohol-in-beverage-based tax from April 2026, with reforms aimed at transparency, compliance ease and boosting excise revenue

India is the world's eighth-largest alcohol market with annual revenues of $45 billion, each state has its own regulations and pricing

Is hepatitis always caused by alcohol? Does it spread through touch or food? Can herbal remedies cure it? In this episode of our fact-check series, a liver specialist debunks common hepatitis myths

Soufflet Malt's push in emerging markets contrasts with restructuring in Europe, where it faces declining beer consumption

Sula Vineyards sees limited impact only on premium range, lauds trade pact

While detailed provisions of the agreement are awaited, the initially released agreement indicates that import tariffs will be reduced to 75% from current 150% across all EU spirits, wines categories

If you are generally healthy, your body does not need a reset as the liver works best with time and consistency, meaning fewer repeated stresses and enough recovery time to heal and function properly

JM Financial estimates revenue growth of the industry at about 6.2 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in the quarter, a sharp decline from the strong momentum seen over the past year

An optimal state policy must go beyond a revenue-hungry, punitive regulatory regime

In a note starting coverage on USL with a 'Buy' rating & target of ₹1,650, Nomura said the sector is seeing a paradigm change as consumers move away from 'drinking more' to 'drinking better'.

UP, Haryana emerge as new frontiers of growth