Urban, affluent Indians and those who moved out-of-home drinking to their homes, are picking more premium brands, making for a better drinking experience at home, top executives at liquor companies said. With travel abroad restricted, consumers have been shifting their duty-free purchases of premium brands to duty-paid ones in premium and upscale off-trade alcoholic beverages retail formats, Warrier said. This meant more consumers picked its premium liquor such as Johnnie Walker. In May and June, liquor sales plunged 60% because of higher taxes in several states, industry body Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies said in August. He said if indeed people are buying premium brands to drink at home, that trend would be hard to quantify.

Source: Mint December 25, 2020 00:44 UTC