Business · India Bureau
Tamil Nadu liquor board hikes prices, introduces bottle deposit scheme
Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) will add an environment cess to liquor prices effective November 1, while introducing a refund programme for customers who return bottles. The move aims to encourage recycling and offset environmental costs.
LSN India ·
The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation has announced a revision to its liquor pricing structure, incorporating an environment cess across all categories of alcoholic beverages sold through its retail outlets from November 1.
The additional cess will be levied on Indian Made Foreign Liquor, beer, wine, spirits sourced from other states, and imported alcohol. The exact percentage of the cess increase was not immediately specified by Tasmac, but the hike will be applied to existing maximum retail prices across all product categories.
In tandem with the price revision, Tasmac has introduced an incentive-based bottle return programme. Customers who return empty bottles to Tasmac outlets will receive a refund of ₹10 per bottle. The initiative is designed to encourage recycling and reduce plastic waste, aligning with broader environmental sustainability objectives.
The dual policy represents an attempt to balance revenue generation through environmental levies while promoting consumer participation in waste management. Industry observers note that such deposit schemes have been implemented in various jurisdictions globally as a mechanism to increase recycling rates and reduce littering.