In a potential move that could revolutionize the liquor industry, Tamil Nadu is considering the sale of alcoholic beverages in convenient tetra packs, aiming to enhance accessibility and minimize environmental impact.
Following the recent closure of 500 liquor shops in Tamil Nadu, the state’s Minister for Prohibition and Excise, S Muthusamy, said on Sunday that the government was exploring the possibility of introducing liquor sales in tetra packs.
“Bottles get broken and damaged sometimes. This can be avoided if tetra packs are introduced. Empty liquor bottles thrown on farmlands or roadsides damage the environment…The practice has already been implemented in neighbouring Karnataka and Puducherry. An official team has been set up to study the feasibility of this initiative”, Muthusamy said.
Furthermore, Minister S Muthusamy expressed concerns about the inadequate cleaning of reusable liquor bottles and expressed optimism that tetra packs would address this issue effectively. He asserted that tetra packs were tamper-proof, reducing the risk of adulteration, and highlighted their convenience in handling.
However, the minister clarified that the potential shift to tetra packs for liquor sales was still in its preliminary stages and would only be executed after a thorough evaluation of its feasibility and potential impact. The proposal to introduce liquor in tetra packs has faced strong opposition, notably from Anbumani Ramadoss, the president of the PMK party and former Union minister.
“Minors and students might mistake the liquor tetra packs for other beverages, such as milkshakes and other juices that are similarly packaged. Adults will not be able to check its proliferation among kids and students,” Ramadoss said.
In a statement, Ramadoss characterised the proposal as “truly alarming” and criticised the reasoning behind it as “absurd.” His remarks underscore the growing debate surrounding the potential implications of introducing liquor sales in tetra packs.
