Tasmac’s bumper Deepavali: Rs 441 crore sales in two days, expected to cross Rs 633 crore

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu's State-run liquor retailer Tasmac recorded sales worth Rs 441.38 crore on the eve of Deepavali and the festival day, with the three-day festive turnover expected to touch Rs 633.38 crore after another day of holiday sales on Monday, officials said.

According to official figures, liquor sales stood at Rs 234.75 crore on November 7, the eve of Deepavali, and Rs 206.63 crore on November 8, taking the two-day total to Rs 441.38 crore.

Among the five Tasmac regions, Tiruchy registered the highest sales at Rs 98.97 crore, followed by Chennai at Rs 95.85 crore. Madurai accounted for Rs 88.38 crore, Salem Rs 87.52 crore, and Coimbatore Rs 70.66 crore.

The festive sales have also brought the newly revised empty-bottle buyback mechanism into focus. Under the system, which came into effect on November 1, a Rs 10 Environmental and Social Welfare Cess is incorporated into the revised maximum retail price (MRP) of liquor bottles. Consumers are entitled to a refund of the amount upon returning eligible empty bottles.

Sources said consumers purchasing liquor in parcels during the two-day festive period had largely not returned empty bottles, resulting in an estimated Rs 38 crore remaining unclaimed under the scheme. The amount, however, cannot be treated as net profit, as the cess is intended for environmental and social welfare purposes and is refundable against eligible bottle returns.

With Monday being a public holiday following Deepavali, TASMAC has projected sales of around Rs 192 crore for the day. If the estimate materialises, the three-day festive sales will total approximately Rs 633.38 crore, officials added.-