ISWAI member companies sell 80% of spirits and wine in India. They include companies such as Diageo, Bacardi, Pernod Ricard and LVMH’s Moet Hennessy.“The need of the hour is to do alcohol retail with social distancing. Some are completing their paperwork,” added Singh, who is also the vice chairman of the World Spirits Alliance.Being the world’s second most populous country, but having lowest density of liquor retail shops in the non-Islamic world, compounded problems for India when liquor sales resumed this week, Singh said. “Most states have not issued enough new licences because of the stigma attached to alcohol over the past two decades. So, retail density is poor,” he added.

Source: Economic Times May 08, 2020 02:15 UTC