Despite summer, beer sales down by 52%: Why Delhi people are not drinking – Times of India

There has been a 52% drop in the sales of Beer as compared to last year, despite soaring summers. As per reports, nearly 83 lakh litres of beer were sold in Delhi in May this year as opposed to 173 lakh litres last year.
ALSO READ: Facts that all beer lovers must know about
As per industry sources, the beer sales in Delhi during May this year amounted to 8.3 million liters, which shows a significant decline compared to the sales of 17.3 million liters recorded in May of the previous year.The Delhi government’s excise department attributes the decline in beer sales to the weather, as due to soaring temperatures people are probably avoiding alcoholic beverages. However, industry sources highlight several factors that contribute to this trend. These include lack of many options, absence of brand promotion, unavailability of chilled beer options at shops, insufficient stock in stores, and companies redirecting their products to states with higher profit margins.

Beer presently constitutes over one-third of the total liquor volume sold during the peak summer season. However, industry insiders argue that the potential for beer sales is much greater, given the prolonged period of intense heat and high humidity levels experienced in Delhi for approximately six months each year. They further assert that policy changes implemented midway through 2022 have resulted in a nearly 50% reduction in beer sales.

As a consequence of the proximity to border areas, residents prefer purchasing beer from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh due to limited availability in Delhi. As a result, sales in neighboring towns have been consistently growing at an annual rate of 15-20%.
Another reason that may have contributed to the decline in sales in the month of May is people travelling out of Delhi for holidays. Due to the summer vacations and intense heat in the capital, the party scene probably shifted to cooler areas like the hills and other vacation spots, also contributing to the decline of beer sales.