Salesmen have reasons for overcharging

Every 180 ml bottle was earlier sold at least Rs 6 above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP).

And that overpricing stays. Even as the rates were said to have been rounded off to the nearest multiple of Rs 10, the overpricing stays.

Exshaw VSOP quarter (180 ml ­- costs Rs 104 and was fixed as Rs 110 as per the recent rate revision. But, it was being sold at Rs 120, which is exactly Rs 10 over the hiked MRP.

A salesman said that the price range of beers at TASMAC now was between Rs 70 and Rs 110.

“But, it will be sold between Rs 90 and Rs 130. Mostly, we will not get opportunity to stock beer in the refrigeration unit. Therefore, we depend on the TASMAC attached bars. They will purchase beers at MRP from us and sell it over and above the MRP according to their wish,” he added.

“Now, TASMAC has not given any reason for the hike as how it used to say that that cost of spirit had gone up and things like that. We were just informed that the rate had been hiked. But, it would take at least six months for the bottles with the revised MRPs to arrive. Till then we will have to answer every customer,” said a TASMAC supervisor.

When queried about the over pricing, a salesman said: “The TASMAC administration will not bear the breakage cost during transit. So we will have to adjust the same through this and to fill our pockets as well. With the meagre salary in TASMAC as salesman, I will not be able to fulfil all the economic needs of my family. We open the shop at 10 am and close it by 10 pm. But, it will take at least till midnight for us to complete the day’s accounts and to verify the stock available in the shop.”