Thiruvananthapuram: From Wednesday (September 10, 2025) onwards, an additional ₹20 will be charged for liquor sold in plastic bottles. The scheme will be implemented on a trial basis at 20 outlets in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur districts.

A label prepared by C-DIT will be affixed to the bottles, and a separate receipt will be issued for the ₹20 collected. Customers will get the amount refunded upon returning the plastic bottles, but the label will be mandatory for redemption, Beverages Corporation CMD Harshita Attalluri told reporters.

In the initial phase, the ₹20 will be charged separately. When the scheme is expanded statewide in January, it will be integrated into a single bill. During the pilot phase, only bottles sold at the respective outlets will be taken back. Special counters will be set up for the collection, and bottles brought in bulk will also be accepted with refunds made accordingly.

Producing the original receipt is not compulsory. Kudumbashree workers have been deployed at outlets to assist with bottle collection. The collected bottles will be handed over to Clean Kerala Company. On average, 27 lakh bottles are sold monthly across these 20 outlets. Once challenges in the collection process are assessed, the scheme will be extended to other outlets. It is estimated that around four crore bottles would need to be collected monthly at the state level.

The deposit will be treated as a refundable security amount and kept in a separate account. It will also be accounted for as payable to the consumer. Plans are underway to use the existing QR code on bottles for the return system, which would eliminate the need for separate labels.

From October 1, carry bags will also be made available at liquor outlets. Bags priced at ₹20 and ₹15 will be sold to customers. Liquor will no longer be wrapped in paper, and the bags will not carry the Beverages Corporation logo. Plans are also progressing to open more premium outlets, the CMD said.

‘Dry days irrelevant, online sales to ease workload’

CMD Harshita Attalluri reiterated that dry days are irrelevant in the present state context, calling them an outdated practice. She added that online liquor sales, if permitted, would remarkably ease the workload of Beverages Corporation staff. Although not currently in place, the CMD expressed hope that government approval would come in the future.

The Corporation’s new mobile app, enabling customers to pay online and collect liquor by showing the receipt, will soon be launched. A proposal to introduce liquor sales in tetra packs is currently under consideration by the Finance Department, she added.