Long queues are a common sight outside of liquor shops in Delhi these days, as vendors are offering hefty discounts on liquor bottles, including Buy One Get One. Liquor stores in some parts of the city, including Jahangirpuri, Shahdara and Mayur Vihar, offered up to 35 per cent discount on certain IMFL brands. This is a reality due to the New Excise Policy of the Delhi Government.
Liquor stores have to exhaust their stock by the end of March as licenses will be renewed in the new financial year, said a liquor vend employee in East Delhi, reported news agency PTI. “There are also certain brands that have not picked up sale and retailers want to dispose them off through discounts and special offers like ‘buy one, get one free’,” he said.
A senior excise department official said that several other factors such as social distancing norms being followed in liquor stores, wedding season and the weekend were also behind the long queues. A liquor business expert said people bought in large quantities due to the rate cut.
“The rush was more in stores located closer to border towns in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh due to competition among retailers there to attract more customers,” he said.
The new excise policy of the Delhi government came into effect in November last year. Several BJP leaders have been opposing the policy, alleging that the Aam Aadmi Party is boosting liquor sale in the country.
