Uttar Pradesh highest consumer of alcohol in India, followed by West Bengal in second position: Study

The report found that India is one of the fastest growing markets for alcoholic beverages globally, with an estimated market size of USD52.5 billion in 2020.

New Delhi: West Bengal ranked second after Uttar Pradesh in terms of absolute number of people who consume alcohol, a joint study by economic research agency ICRIER and law consulting firm PLR Chambers said. According to the study, nearly 1.4 crore people in West Bengal consume alcohol, and this sector is among the top three revenue earners of the state. The price model in the state has been tweaked recently from a free market to a lowest ex-distillery price (EDP) and an increase in taxes has been witnessed, which is a major concern for the industry, the study said.