Online liquor orders will curb overcharging at Tasmac counters, says Minister

The government is taking all possible measures to ensure that customers are not charged extra at Tasmac counters while purchasing liquor, and the online ordering system is one step towards achieving that goal, said K. Vignesh, Minister for Prohibition and Excise.

“Once customers place an order online, they will receive a QR code. They will have to present this QR code at the liquor outlet. After the shop staff scans it, the order details will be displayed, following which the items will be handed over to the customer,” he said.

“Earlier, when customers walked into a liquor outlet, only certain brands were often promoted. The new online system will allow consumers to view all the brands and products available and choose what they want. The online inventory will be updated in real time, enabling customers to see the available stock before placing an order. We will also have dedicated teams in place, and staff will be trained to operate the system,” he said.

Responding to a query on how the government would prevent underage consumers from purchasing liquor online, the Minister said, “Even at our retail outlets, sales personnel are extremely vigilant about verifying the legal drinking age. We will maintain the same level of scrutiny under the online system as well.” He also clarified that there would be no home delivery. Tasmac, the cash cow of the Tamil Nadu government generates around ₹150 crore from liquor sales every day through its retail network.

On Thursday evening, Tasmac workers got a message pertaining to a software update regarding the online sale of liquor. Workers were instructed not to switch off the end-to-end device at their respective outlets. They were also asked to ensure that the devices were fully charged and internet was turned on.