Amazon, BigBasket Get Nod to Begin Home Delivery of Alcohol in West Bengal

Amazon's interest in delivering alcohol in West Bengal marks a bold move to make inroads into a market that is worth $27.2 billion, according to estimates by IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

Amazon, BigBasket Get Nod to Begin Home Delivery of Alcohol in West Bengal

Amazon was among the companies found to be eligible for registration with authorities

Highlights
  • West Bengal is India's fourth most populous state
  • Amazon has committed roughly Rs. 46 crores in investments in India
  • India restricted liquor sales when it announced a nationwide lockdown
Advertisement

Amazon has secured clearance to deliver alcohol in West Bengal, according to a document seen by Reuters, signalling the US e-commerce giant's first foray into the country's multi-billion-dollar sector. In a notice on Friday, West Bengal State Beverages Corp, the authorised agency to carry out online retail of liquor trade in the state, said Amazon was among the companies found to be eligible for registration with authorities. Alibaba-backed BigBasket has also won approval to deliver alcohol in the state, the notice said.

West Bengal is India's fourth most populous state, with a population of more than 9 crore people.

Amazon has been invited to sign a memorandum of understanding with the state, said the notice, which has not previously been reported.

Amazon did not respond to a request for comment. BigBasket also did not respond to a request for comment.

Amazon's interest in delivering alcohol in West Bengal marks a bold move to make inroads into a market that is worth $27.2 billion (roughly Rs. 205 crores), according to estimates by IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

Over the years, Amazon has expanded its e-commerce operations in India as more and more people go online to shop for everything from groceries to electronics. The company has committed $6.5 billion (roughly Rs. 46 crores) in investments in India, one of its key growth markets.

India's top two food-delivery startups, Swiggy and Zomato, started delivering alcohol in some cities last month, as they looked to cash in on the high demand for booze as many states come out of a lockdown aimed at tackling the coronavirus.

India restricted liquor sales when it announced a nationwide lockdown in March. Hundreds of people queued up at liquor stores in May when some restrictions were eased, and the liquor industry had been lobbying with many states to allow online deliveries.

Each state sets its own alcohol sales policy. West Bengal last month invited companies to express interest for "handling electronic ordering, purchase, sale and home delivery of alcoholic liquors from licensed retail outlets" to eligible legal-age consumers in the state.

© Thomson Reuters 2020


Is Mi Notebook 14 series the best affordable laptop range for India? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Has Xiaomi Cracked the Laptop Market With the Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition?
Apple to Shut Some US Stores Again Due to Rising COVID-19 Cases
Share on Facebook Gadgets360 Twitter Share Tweet Snapchat Share Reddit Comment google-newsGoogle News
 
 

Advertisement

Follow Us

Advertisement

© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »