Page 3 - Alcohol

AlchoBev expects up to 20% growth in Q3 riding on bullish festive sales

The alcoholic beverage industry is on a high, with nearly double-digit growth in festive season sales, and now expects an upswing of around 20 per cent in the October-December period, driven by the premium spirits category. The industry witnessed a spike in sales across categories, whether it's IMFL or Scotch in the whisky segment, or rum or white spirits such as vodka, white rum, gin and tequila in the almost one-and-a-half-month festive season, which is now in its conclusion. This festive season, the industry has witnessed higher growth in the premium category, as well as in smaller tier II & III markets, alongside the developed markets. We have witnessed a highly encouraging festive season, with strong uptake across our premium and luxury portfolio. The festive months continue to be a key consumption period in India, and this year's performance has reaffirmed the growing consumer preference for premium and thoughtfully crafted spirits, Radico Khaitan Chief Operating Officer ...

Govt to tighten rules for sale of oral formulations containing alcohol

Health Ministry also mandates QR codes on vaccines and anti-cancer meds, eases sales licence norms for liquid antiseptics

How to enjoy Diwali drinks without damaging your liver or your waistline

Doctors warn that even small festive indulgences can strain your liver. Experts share science-backed tips to celebrate responsibly and stay healthy this Diwali

Domestic beer industry seeks import relaxation amid aluminium can shortage

The domestic beer industry, which has been facing an acute shortage of aluminium cans and fearing an impact on growth trajectory, has urged the government for a 'short-term regulatory relaxation' in quality control norms to ensure uninterrupted supply from overseas. The beer industry is facing an annual deficit of 12-13 crore units of 500 ml cans, which account for almost 20 per cent of total beer sales in the country, and it may also lead to a shortfall of around Rs 1,300 crore in government revenues, according to the Brewers Association of India (BAI). Aluminium cans were brought under the ambit of mandatory BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) certification by the government from April 1, 2025, through a quality control order (QCO), which has resulted in short-term supply problems for beer as well as other beverage packaging industry in the country. Key aluminium can suppliers, BALL Beverage Packaging India and Can-Pack India, have already exhausted their domestic capacity at their .

Think one drink is harmless? It may raise your dementia risk, study warns

New research shows even light or moderate drinking may steadily harm the brain and increase long-term risk of dementia, debunking the myth of "healthy drinking"

Dussehra rush pushes Telangana liquor sales to record ₹1,000 cr in 4 days

Telangana liquor sales surged ahead of Dussehra, with ₹260 crore on September 28, ₹279 crore on September 29, ₹301 crore on September 30 and ₹320 crore on October 1 lifted by shops

South India accounts for 58% of all-India whiskey sales in FY25: Report

South Indian states dominate the sales of IMFL, accounting for 58 per cent revenue in FY25, with Karnataka retaining the top national slot by contributing 17 per cent of the pan-India volumes in FY25, according to data from industry body CIABC. Five Southern states - Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, along with Union Territory Puducherry, have retained their dominance in the sales of the Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), consuming 23.18 crore cases (jointly contributing 58 per cent sales) for the financial year ended on March 31, 2025. "South's dominance is near-absolute" in IMFL sales in FY25, with "the rest of India shares the remaining 42 per cent", said data sourced from the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC). However, on a pan-India level, sales volume of IMFL Whisky has declined 1.4 per cent year-on-year in FY25 to 40.17 crore cases. When asked, CIABC Director General Anant S Iyer said overall sales have been slow in FY25

Bihar police seize over 77,000 litres of liquor per month in 2025

An average of over 77,000 litres of liquor has been seized per month till August 2025 in dry Bihar, a 16 per cent increase over the seizure during the same period last year, police said on Monday. The average per-month seizure was 67,000 litres during the first eight months of the previous year, a senior officer said. "The prohibition division of the Bihar Police seized 77,540 litres of liquor, on average, per month this year," he said. Talking to reporters here, Bihar Police's Prohibition Division Additional Director General (ADG) Amit Kumar Jain attributed the increase in the liquor seizure to "enhanced surveillance and stricter enforcement of prohibition laws in the state". "The per-month seizure in 2025 is 16 per cent more than the previous year. The division has so far (till August this year) seized 5,74,526 litres of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), 12,515 litres of country-made liquor and 33,281 litres of spirit from different parts of the state," he said. Since the ...

Mount Everest Breweries acquires Cheers Breweries in ₹300 crore deal

Mount Everest Breweries has acquired Cheers Breweries in Mysuru for Rs 300 crore, boosting capacity by 75 per cent and marking its entry into Karnataka's beer market

UBL aims for 30% growth in its premium segment every quarter: CEO

United Breweries is targeting 25-30% growth in its premium segment every quarter, with plans to expand capacity and outpace market growth in the beer industry, says CEO Vivek Gupta

SC rejects Pernod Ricard's plea over London Pride whisky trademark dispute

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected liquor major Pernod Ricard India's plea to block the sale of London Pride whisky, saying the brand name and packaging were not deceptively similar to its own flagship labels, Blenders Pride and Imperial Blue. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan upheld decisions of the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the Indore Commercial Court which refused to grant the French-owned spirits company an interim injunction against Indore-based manufacturer Karanveer Singh Chhabra. The issue was whether Pernod Ricard India was entitled to an order restraining Chhabra from using the impugned trademark, get-up, and trade dress, including the packaging of LONDON PRIDE' on the ground that such use amounts to infringement its registered trademarks, such as BLENDERS PRIDE', IMPERIAL BLUE', and SEAGRAM'S. It is a settled principle of trademark law that deceptive similarity does not necessitate exact imitation. What is material is the likelihood of confusion o

Allied Blenders & Distillers looks to take advantage of India-UK FTA

Allied Blenders & Distillers aims to add more luxury labels, improve gross margins by 300 bps, and tap UK-India FTA as it focuses on growth in prestige segments

India liquor stocks rally on UK trade deal, premium spirits focus

Shares of India's Tilaknagar Industries Ltd and Allied Blenders & Distillers Ltd have surged more than 40 per cent since late April

India-UK FTA to cut spirit duties, but price drop may be limited: Experts

The India-UK free trade agreement will reduce duties on imported spirits, making premium international options more accessible to Indian consumers, according to industry players, but experts cautioned that the benefits may be limited as the maximum price reduction could be only up to Rs 300 per bottle. As per the FTA signed in London between the two governments, India is reducing duty on UK whisky and gin from 150 per cent to 75 per cent and further to 40 per cent in the tenth year of the deal. "Whisky producers will benefit from tariffs slashed in half, reduced immediately from 150 per cent to 75 per cent and then dropped even further to 40 per cent over the next ten years - giving the UK an advantage over international competitors in reaching the Indian market," as per an official statement of the UK government. Reacting to the development, the International Spirits and Wines Association of India (ISWAI), which represents premium alcoholic beverage companies in India (mostly MNCs)

United Breweries Q1 results: Profit rises 5.9% to ₹184 cr on lower expenses

United Breweries Ltd reported a 5.9% rise in Q1FY26 profit to ₹184 crore, despite a 7.4% drop in revenue. Premium beer segment grew 46%, led by Kingfisher Ultra and Heineken Silver

Andhra Pradesh cuts liquor prices, tipplers save ₹116 crore every month

Liquor consumers in Andhra Pradesh are collectively saving nearly Rs 116 crore per month, following a reduction in alcohol prices from Rs 10 to Rs 100 per bottle, the first such cut in the state. During a review meeting with officials, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu instructed them to ensure transparency in the liquor policy, maintain affordable prices, and protect public health. He also stressed the need to prevent the sale of fake or substandard liquor brands, according to an official release on Monday. Naidu directed officials to allow only national and international quality brands into the state, and to prohibit the sale of non-duty paid, illicit, or harmful liquor. Officials informed the CM that the new liquor policy has boosted state revenue, brought back trade lost during the previous YSRCP regime, eliminated fake brands, and contributed to improved public health by helping prevent addiction among economically weaker families. Liquor prices have decreased for the first .

Uttar Pradesh govt logs fresh excise proposals worth ₹4,000 crore

The investment proposals were received at the recent 'UP Excise Investors' Summit' in Lucknow, which was organised to promote investments in the alcohol value chain

WHO's '3 by 35' plan aims 50% tax hike on tobacco, alcohol, sugary drinks

The WHO says its global tax plan could raise $1 trillion and save 50 million lives by 2035 by curbing harmful product consumption and funding health systems

Gen Z defies 'sober generation' label, alcohol consumption picking up

The IWSR survey found that the proportion of Gen Z adults who reported consuming alcohol in the past six months rose from 66 per cent in March 2023 to 73 per cent in March 2025

Glenwalk maker Cartel & Bros to expand into six Indian cities by 2025

Actor Sanjay Dutt-backed Cartel & Bros aims to sell 350,000 cases by FY26, with Glenwalk set to enter six Indian cities and five new global markets by year-end