Will increasing the cost of alcoholic beverages actually lead people to drink less? Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition, V.D. Satheesan, firmly believes it won’t. During a lively discussion on retail inflation in the State Assembly on Thursday, Satheesan light-heartedly but pointedly advised the government against continuously raising liquor prices.
He strongly argued that such price hikes are ineffective in reducing alcohol consumption and might even have the opposite effect. ‘It’s a misconception to think that higher prices will decrease drinking,’ Satheesan remarked. ‘No one who typically enjoys three drinks a day will suddenly cut back to two just because prices went up. In fact, they might even pour themselves a fourth out of sheer frustration over the increase!’
The only real impact, he warned, would be a reduction in disposable income for households. Ultimately, the burden of these frequent price adjustments would fall squarely on women and children.