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Liquor stores across Noida are rolling out heavy discounts and special offers like ‘buy 1 get 1 free’ as they rush to clear their stock before Uttar Pradesh’s new excise policy kicks in on April 1. The upcoming policy has caused a major shake-up in the liquor trade, with 80% of existing license holders losing their spots due to the introduction of an e-lottery system for liquor license allocation.
Surge in Liquor Sales Expected:
Excise officials report that Noida liquor shops sell approximately 10,000 beer bottles, 30,000 bottles of foreign liquor, and 40,000 bottles of country liquor every day, generating an estimated ₹3-4 crore in daily revenue. However, with the current wave of discounts, sales are expected to spike by 30-40% this week as customers take advantage of the reduced prices before the new system is implemented.
For the past six years, liquor licenses were simply renewed. However, this year, the Uttar Pradesh government has introduced a fresh e-lottery system, allowing new businesses to enter the market. The state has also launched “composite shops,” which will sell both beer and Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) under one roof. This change means that many beer-only and IMFL-only outlets are being merged into single stores.
Customers Rushing to Stock Up
Last Friday, liquor buyers in Uttar Pradesh were thrilled when retailers announced huge price cuts on foreign liquor to clear their inventory. Some brands were sold at nearly half the price, leading to a shopping frenzy. Customers were seen lining up at liquor shops, with many buying full crates to stock up before the new pricing system takes effect.
Reduction in Liquor Shops Under New Policy
The new excise policy has also reduced the total number of liquor shops in Noida from 535 to 501. Under the new structure, the city will have:
- 239 composite liquor shops
- 234 country liquor shops
- 27 model shops
- 1 bhang shop
Discounts and Special Offers Across Uttar Pradesh
While Noida liquor stores are slashing prices, similar trends are being seen in other cities like Lucknow. Many model shops there have put up banners and posters advertising deep discounts to attract customers before the new policy deadline. Some of the major price cuts include:
- ₹150 off on full liquor bottles
- ₹80 off on half bottles
- ₹30 off on quarter bottles
- ₹20-₹40 off per beer bottle, depending on the brand
With just a few days left before the new excise policy takes effect, liquor buyers are rushing to make the most of these discounts. The coming week is expected to see a surge in liquor sales as both retailers and customers adjust to the upcoming changes.
