Higher taxes on beer in Maharashtra impacts consumption of beverage

Beer consumption has witnessed a slowdown due to frequent changes in taxation, impacting the pricing of the alcoholic beverage, according to the industry

The consumption of beer has remained stagnant in Maharashtra, while that of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) has continued to grow over the past nine years.

The slowdown in beer consumption can be attributed to frequent changes in taxation, which have affected both pricing and the alcoholic beverage (alcobev) industry, according to industry experts.

Data shared by the industry reveals that the maximum retail price of fast-moving strong beer (650 ml) in the state has increased by 64 per cent from 2013-14 to 2021-22, while the price of fast-moving IMFL (180 ml) has only risen by 10-20 per cent during the