Mumbai: Citizens will have to pay more for beer as the state government as hiked the prices for beer in Maharashtra. High-end pubs and resto bars will change the menu as per the revised pricing which will directly crunch the pockets of the consumers as they would have to pay more both for a small pint or a large bottle of beer.
The price of a pint (330ml) of beer is hiked by Rs 3 while the price of a bottle (650 ml) of beer is increased by Rs 5 as per a source from the state excise department. This average hike in pricing will be applicable across all different brands of beer at wine shops, resto bars, pubs, clubs and all retail outlets. The high-end bars and pubs stated that they will change their menu as per the new prices.
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Vikram Sen, an employee at the Beer Cafe pub, said, “We will change the menu as per the hiked prices but this process will take time. We have over 45 outlets so we will have to print the menu for all the outlets. As the purchasing cost of the drink has increased this price hike will reflect in our menu too.” Kaustubh Mayekar, an employee at Irish House, said, “The hike in price is minimal so we will take a call if we will revise the menu. We already charge more than the normal market price of beer.”
Due to this hike, common citizens are most affected as they will have to pay extra at retail outlets. Alan Mascarenhas, a working youth said, “We will have to pay extra at the wine shop when we go to buy a single pint of beer. Beer is the kind of drink we enjoy when we go out with friends or family to chill but now we will have pool in more for this treat. Why did the state government hike the price in the first place?”
Citizens complained that beer is already expensive compared to other hard drinks in high-end pubs, bars and clubs. Nitika Das, a working youth, said, “First of the all, pubs and clubs charge more for beer and now they will revise the prices. The government first brought in Goods and Services Tax (GST) but we were happy that alcohol was spared. But now ultimately the government is fooling us as we have to pay more.”
