India raises a glass; cheers to Diwali!:People spend extravagantly to consume alcohol during the festive season

Every year during Diwali, India sees a rise in alcohol sales. The coffers of excise departments swell up due to record-breaking sales. And this year was no different! Corporate employees receive a bonus before Diwali to buy clothes and other items for their family members, but it seems they also spend extravagantly on alcohol. This time Diwali was on Monday, 20 October 2025, which was preceded by a weekend. The three days of holidays running into the festival gave huge boost to the sale of alcohol. Tamil Nadu reports surge in sales According to the wire service, IANS, Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) reported record liquor sales worth ₹789.85 crore in the three days leading up to the festival – a significant increase from the ₹650 crore recorded during the same period last year. This represents an impressive ₹140 crore Year-On-Year (YoY) jump in festive sales. TASMAC operates 4,787 retail outlets across Tamil Nadu. Additionally, according to media reports, the corporation typically records an average daily sale exceeding ₹150 crore. However, on special occasions and weekends, the figure often rises sharply — and this year’s Diwali rush proved to be one of the highest ever. The wire stated that beginning on the Saturday before Diwali, liquor outlets witnessed long queues from noon until late at night as customers stocked up for the celebrations. Many outlets were sold out. District-wise, Tamil Nadu recorded the highest sales in Madurai, followed by Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Salem, and Coimbatore. Delhi reports higher sales despite ban! When it comes to Delhi, although liquor sales were banned across the Union Territory (UT) on the Diwali day, shops were open on other days during the festive season. Citing government data, media reports stated that the Delhi government saw a 15% YoY rise in earnings during first 15 days before Diwali compared to same period last year. This time, sales of ₹594 crore were recorded from government liquor stores in the 15 days before Diwali. In the same period in 2024, this sale was ₹516 crore. While, according to a prominent media platform in Uttar Pradesh, ‘Amar Ujala’ this time during Diwali in Mathura, due to heightened demand and not equivalent availability of bottles, people even paid more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP). How much total alcohol sale in India? According to JM Financial Services, India’s alcoholic beverages industry is one of the world’s largest and fastest-evolving markets. On an annual basis, the overall sale stands at 110 crore cases. While, the per capita alcohol consumption in India is 3.2 liters, compared to the global average of 5 liters.