Mumbai: Liquor shops are open now, but 50% of sales still online

MUMBAI: Almost over a week after opening of liquor shops for over-the-counter sales, online sale of liquor continues to be at 50%. Many ordering premium brands still prefer online, against their earlier habit of buying in person. Tipplers purchasing cheaper brands are the only ones queuing up at liquor shops, near slums, braving the pandemic.With the opening of shops for counter-sales, overall sales have improved over the lockdown period as those who buy smaller brands across the counter before lockdown and could not buy country liquor and other cheaper brands online, have started coming in, shop-owners said.If compared with pre-lockdown period, overall sale is yet to improve. Average daily sales of a liquor shop in Mumbai used to be Rs 2-2.5 lakh prior to March 21, but now is Rs 1.5-1.75 lakh. Sumit Chawala, vice-president of Association of Progressive Retail Liquor Vendors (APRLV), said since sales of country liquor and other cheaper brands is not online, their counter-sales are now back in action after opening of shops for counter sales. "On an average in 480 shops across Mumbai, 50-55% is online sale now. In June-July, only online sale was allowed and prior to lockdown, online sale was not there," he said.Industry sources said around 10% would get home deliveries by ordering over the phone.APRLV president Arvind Miskin said quantum of online sale from shops was 45-50%. He said as many people have travelled to their native places due to Covid-19, overall buying, especially counter-sales, has dipped. Moreover, he said, sales always reach a low point during the month of shravan and the upcoming festivities starting from Ganesh Chaturthi to Navratri. "So its a long time ahead for sales to regain their shape prior to lockdown," he added, pointing out that now premium brands were being sold mostly online.Shivanand Shetty, president of Ahar, an association of over 8,000 restaurants and bars, said around 100 bars out of 2,500 permit rooms were doing businesses as they also have recently been allowed to sell liquor stocks through home deliveries and across the counter. "With counter-sales, in addition to takeaways, our bars are doing 25% business, which was 15% when only takeaways were allowed," he added.