One in the medical journal “The Lancet” A study published recently showed exactly how alcohol consumption in India has increased over the past three decades. According to the analysis, men between the ages of 40 and 64 in particular are drinking more. The increase is 5.63 percent since 1990. In the age group of For 15 to 39 year olds it is 5.24 percent and for seniors the increase is 2.88 percent.
India’s most recent national health report, released in May, found strong gender disparities: on average, around 1% of women aged 15 and over drink alcohol, compared to 19% of men. The figures vary greatly from region to region: In the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, 24 percent of women and 53 percent of men consume alcoholic beverages – a national record.
Higher incomes, more city dwellers – more alcohol
The increase in alcohol consumption is due to a variety of reasons, including increases in disposable income and urban population growth. “Increasing urbanization, easier access and advertising all contribute to the increased consumption of alcohol,” Girdhara Babu of the Foundation for Public Health in India told DW. “And by the way,” says the professor, “alcohol taxes are a major source of revenue for the states.”
India’s $20 billion alcohol market is forecast to grow 7 percent annually over the period 2021-2025, according to Reuters news agency. India was one of the fastest growing spirits markets until the COVID pandemic caused consumption to plummet by nearly 12 percent.
“The prevalence and frequency of drinking alcohol is growing with social acceptance, urbanization, women’s independence, rising salaries and innovative products,” emphasizes Vinod Giri, President of the Association of Indian Alcohol Producers in an interview with DW. “It’s a normal trend because India is developing socially and economically and we expect it to continue for a while.”
After the isolation of the pandemic years, more and more young people are now meeting, especially in the cities, in restaurants, clubs, pubs and bars. And just before the Hindu holidays, companies are ramping up production and distribution to maximize sales and profits.
Ever new product lines: In India, too, companies are constantly advertising different spirits
“A significant portion of the growth has come from new product lines such as light beer and wine, other light drinks, spirits and single malt whiskey,” Vijay Kauthekar, vice president of sales at Bangalore-based John Distilleries, told DW. “India in the 1990s didn’t have a good food culture and only a few clubs and restaurants served alcohol. That has totally changed, we now have a fine and lively dining culture, in the metropolitan areas as well as in smaller towns.”
Massive problems with moonshine
Despite increasing sales of branded products, problems with illegally brewed or distilled beverages remain common. Illegal alcohol has become a hugely profitable market in India. Moonshiners pay no taxes and sell vast quantities of their booze to the poor at cheap prices.
Deaths from moonlighting are common in India, and hundreds of people lose their sight every year as a result. According to official crime statistics, 6,172 people died from illegally produced alcohol in India between 2016 and 2020. Around five billion liters of alcohol are consumed in India every year. The Association of Wine and Spirits Producers estimates that 40 percent of this is produced black.
These liquors are often laced with methanol to increase the alcohol content – and consumption of methanol can cause blindness, liver damage and even death.
Adaptation from English: Beate Hinrichs
