Queues and chaos at many Tasmac outlets as ₹10 price hike, fake news of closure of shops

A Tasmac outlet in Koyambedu witnessed long queues as fake news of uncertainty over the functioning of liquor outlets spread all over social media on Monday. | Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ

Despite the rain on Monday, hundreds of tipplers stood in queue for hours at Tasmac outlets across Chennai and neighbouring districts, fearing that more liquor shops could down their shutters. Salesmen at many outlets said they struggled to control the restless crowd.

On Sunday, many Tasmac shops pulled shutters down without informing the management. The reason: Tasmac had said last week that it will increase the maximum retail price (MRP) of all liquor variants in the State by ₹10 with effect from November 1 by adding an environment cess to the existing price. And tipplers can get this ₹10 reimbursed by returning the empty liquor bottles.

“We were given very little time to adapt to these two changes. We were informed only two days ago. Some of the bottles did not have updated price stickers. It was very difficult for us to scan them at the new rates,” said a Tasmac salesman in Vadapalani. He added that there were technical glitches and the POS machines and scanners provided to them did not work properly.

‘No space to stock empty bottles’

A salesman in T. Nagar said that there was no space at the outlet to stock the empty bottles. “We hardly have space to stand and where will we stock the empty bottles. They should have analysed the space in each shop before announcing this,” he added.

By Monday evening the crowd started increasing as fake news of uncertainty over the functioning of liquor outlets spread all over social media.

With Deepavali just days away, tipplers were worried about whether they would be able to stock up for the weekend. Tasmac, the cash cow of the Tamil Nadu government witnesses highest sale during Deepavali, Pongal and New Year.

Tasmac also suspended its workers across Tamil Nadu who were responsible for the shop closure on Sunday and Monday.

As on July 2026, Tasmac has 4,048 retail vending shops and a workforce of 22,877 (6,473 supervisors, 14,379 salespersons, and 2,025 assistant salespersons). For the year 2025-2026, Tasmac earned a revenue of ₹50,845 crore.

Published - November 03, 2026 05:00 am IST