Chilled beer sales rise in hot weather in Karnataka

Bengaluru: Amidst the scorching sun, while some seek cold drinks or fresh water to beat the heat, there is a noticeable rise in chilled beer consumption, sales figures show.

On regular days, small liquor stores typically sold 10-15 boxes of beer, but now they are selling more than 20 boxes daily. Compared to the last three years, beer sales have surged by 40 to 45 percent. This spike is attributed to the hot weather and the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

According to figures from the Excise Department, beer sales have seen a steady rise over the years. In 2020-21, 237.82 lakh boxes of beer were sold, averaging 19.82 lakh boxes per month. In 2021-22, the sales increased to 268.83 lakh boxes, with a monthly average of 22.40 lakh boxes. By 2022-23, the sales soared to 390.66 lakh boxes, averaging 32.56 lakh boxes per month.

In April, beer sales saw a notable surge as well. Last year, from April 1 to 18, 142.97 lakh liters (18.33 lakh boxes) of beer were sold, while this year, 207.63 lakh liters (26.62 lakh boxes) were purchased during the same period. This marks an increase of 64.66 lakh liters (8.29 lakh boxes).

In the first 11 days of April alone, more than 27 lakh beer bottles of various brands were sold, equivalent to 17 lakh liters of beer. Initially, beer sales were slow at the beginning of the year, but they picked up later, reportedly due to rising summer temperatures and the Lok Sabha elections.

Furthermore, the number of MSIL liquor outlets has increased in the last three years, despite stagnant liquor sales in the state. In 2020-21, there were 901 MSIL liquor outlets across the state. By 2021-22, this number had increased to 980. By 2022-23, the number of MSIL liquor outlets across the state reached 1,023.

Of the alcohol sold in Bengaluru North in 2021-22, 12.24 percent was beer. By 2022-23, this percentage had reached 50.62. Similarly, in the Bengaluru South Division, beer purchases accounted for 12.9% in 2021-22, increasing to 50.26% by 2022-23. Sources in the Excise Department stated that 49.80 percent of beer was sold in the Bengaluru city district last year.

“Due to the hot weather, even those who typically prefer brandy and whiskey are now opting for cold beer, leading to a doubling of beer sales. The hot weather likely contributed to lower sales of hard drinks,” said Guruswami S., President of the Federation of Wine Merchants’ Association.

Translated from Kannada article by Devesh Sooraguppa