Ggm liquor shops jack up prices in windfall over Delhi excise mess

{FESTIVE CHEER} FOR RETAILERS RATHER THAN CONSUMERS

- Leena Dhankhar and Alok KN Mishra

Gurugram has, for years, been the National Capital Region's (NCR) ubiquitous liquor-shopping destination of choice. With a variety of offers, discounts and lower prices, residents of Delhi and Noida had a strong reason to stock up their cabinets with bottles from stores in Millennium City.

But, over the past few weeks, this price gulf has shrunk.

With most popular brands missing from shelves in Delhi's stores due to the extant confusion over the city's liquor policy and demand skyrocketing during the festive season, retailers in Gurugram have not only stopped all offers and discounts, they have cranked up prices, often charging 33% more than two months ago.

For instance, a bottle of Jack Daniel's, which sold for ₹1,800 now goes for ₹2,300. Similarly Black Label has gone from ₹1,800 to ₹2,200, Jameson from ₹1,200 to ₹1,600, and Glenlivet 12 from ₹2,900 to ₹3,400.

Most of these brands are unavailable in the Capital, prompting customers to turn to Gurugram, no matter. And this has essentially given Gurugram's liquor retailers free rein to shore up their prices, even as their sales continue to jump. Beer prices have jumped as well. A 330ml bottle of Kingfisher Premium, for instance, now retails for ₹120, up from ₹90, while Corona goes for ₹200 instead of ₹165.

Delhi excise officials denied a shortage of liquor in the Capital.

Mukesh Yadav, the manager of a liquor store on Gurugram's Golf Course Extension Road, which has increased prices by around 30% said they will increase prices by another 10% next week and even further in the week before Diwali.