50% tipplers in West Bengal switch over to cheaper brands of liquor due to price hike: Survey

Fifty per cent of tipplers in West Bengal have started preferring liquor of cheaper brands due to a steep rise in prices after the state government imposed 30 per cent sales tax on alcoholic beverages in April, according to a survey of 8,600 individuals conducted by social media-based LocalCirces.

According to it, the respondents said that their preferred brands have become more expensive and they have either reduced consumption or switched over to cheaper substitutes.

Nearly 36 per cent of the respondents said that they are ready to step up their purchase if the sales tax is withdrawn, while 51 per cent prefer to buy liquor from e-commerce platforms.

The Delhi and Odisha governments had imposed additional levies on alcohol during the lockdown period, but subsequently rolled it back due to a drastic reduction in sales, officials of the survey firm said.