From November 1, liquor prices in Tamil Nadu will increase by Rs 10 per bottle as the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) has decided to add an environmental cess to the MRP.
The new pricing system would change how customers pay for liquor and claim refunds on empty bottles returned, but they can recover Rs 10 extra by returning their empty liquor bottles to TASMAC retail outlets. The move aims to strengthen the state’s empty-bottle collection mechanism without charging customers an additional non-refundable fee.
Under the bottle buy-back system, when customers purchase liquor, they have to pay Rs 10 extra over the MRP printed on the bottle and get the money back when they return the empty bottle at a retail outlet. From November 1 onwards, the system will change, and environmental cess of Rs 10 will be included directly in the MRP (money paid by the customer).
Hence, they will have to pay the revised price at the time of purchase and can claim an additional amount by returning the empty bottle later. This will make collection and refund process uniform across TASMAC outlets.
TASMAC has directed liquor manufacturers, depot officials, direct managers and retail outlet employees to implement the new pricing and refund system. The empty bottle collection scheme will also be extended to three TASMAC districts in Chennai and five other districts where it could not be introduced earlier as retail employees opposed the scheme.
With the new system, customers can return empty liquor bottles at any TASMAC outlet and get a refund even if they had purchased the bottle from a different shop. This provision is expected to make the scheme more convenient for consumers who may not visit the same outlet again.
The corporation has also warned against collecting money above the revised MRP. Retail employees will not be allowed to ask for additional money from customers under the pretext of the bottle collection scheme. TASMAC said disciplinary action would be initiated against employees who violate instructions or overcharge customers.
Consumers had repeatedly complained that certain liquor outlets were collecting Rs 10 to Rs 40 more than the printed MRP. The new system is expected to bring transparency in liquor sales and reduce disputes between customers and retail outlet staff.
The environmental cess decision comes after the Tamil Nadu government legislated on it. State Prohibition and Excise Minister K Vignesh had earlier moved a Bill for levy of an environmental cess up to Rs 20 per bottle on liquor prices, which was passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
The collection is linked with environmental measures (such as disposing of discarded liquor bottles). TASMAC officials have been asked to coordinate with banks and keep enough Rs 10 notes and coins at retail outlets so that customers get their refunds without difficulty. Till reverse vending machine vendor is selected through tender, shop employees will collect empty bottles and give them to approved vendors.
Another change will be in the payment method at TASMAC outlets. Digital payments will become mandatory for liquor purchases above Rs 1,000 from November 1, and it will further come down to Rs 500 from January 1, 2027. This means customers buying above those limits will have to use digital payment options instead of cash alone (cash withdrawal is free).
The move is expected to encourage cashless transactions and transparency in liquor sales. Customers are advised to keep UPI and other electronic payment facilities ready when purchasing larger quantities of liquor.
Tamil Nadu too has revised autorickshaw fares after 13 years. Minimum charge for the first 1.8 kilometres will be increased from Rs 25 to Rs 50 and thereafter Rs 25 per kilometre for passengers. Separate provisions for night travel and waiting time have also been made in the new fare structure.
Autorickshaw journeys between 10 pm and 5 am would attract 1.5 times the normal fare, while waiting charges are fixed at Re 1 per minute. The revised rates are likely to affect daily commuters (especially those who depend on autorickshaws for short distances).
With these changes coming into effect from November 1, Tamil Nadu people will have to adjust to new liquor prices, a new bottle refund mechanism, digital payment for higher-value purchases and autorickshaw fares going up.
Though Rs 10 environmental cess would be recovered through the empty bottle return system but customers should understand the revised procedure so that they do not make unnecessary payments and TASMAC employees too were told to follow the new rules strictly. How these measures are implemented in Chennai and other districts where the bottle collection scheme is being expanded will be closely watched.
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