National Beer Brands Reclaim 54% Market Share in Delhi After Excise Crackdown

Popular national beer brands have made a significant comeback in Delhi this summer after the Delhi Excise Department tightened monitoring of government-run liquor stores to curb the practice of "brand pushing."

Over the last few years, well-known national labels had largely disappeared from the shelves of the city's government-run shops. According to industry insiders, retail staff frequently pushed lesser-known brands, including those from Nepal and Bhutan, which yielded higher profit margins because they did not attract import duties.

This practice forced Delhi consumers to purchase their preferred beers from neighboring states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, which impacted the capital's excise revenue.

To counter this, the Delhi Excise Department has increased oversight and conducted surprise inspections at government vends. The intervention has led to a major shift in sales. During May 2026, overall beer sales in Delhi rose by 10 percent year-on-year, with 11,12,761 cases sold compared to 10,10,524 cases in May 2025.

The recovery of national brands was particularly sharp. Sales of leading national labels surged to 5,96,351 cases this May, up from 2,47,143 cases during the same period last year. Meanwhile, the market share of lesser-known brands dropped from 76 percent last year to 46 percent this May.

Vinod Giri, Director General of the Brewers Association of India (BAI), stated that the market share of well-known national brands had plummeted from 80 percent during the private retail era to just 24 percent last May due to rampant brand pushing. Thanks to the excise department's stricter watch, that share recovered to 54 percent this May.

Currently, Delhi's retail liquor trade is managed by four government corporations: Delhi Tourism & Transportation Development Corporation Ltd (DTTDC), Delhi Consumer’s Cooperative Wholesale Store (DCCWS), Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (DSIIDC), and Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (DSCSC). Together, these corporations run approximately 700 liquor shops across the city.

Excise officials reiterated that brand pushing is illegal and that shops must provide the specific labels requested by customers. However, Giri warned that brand pushing could return if monitoring relaxes, suggesting that a permanent solution would involve returning to private retail stores, displaying stocks publicly, and transitioning shops into self-service walk-ins.