TIRUCHY: Despite the introduction of digital payment and QR code-based billing system four months ago, the customers at Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) outlets and recreational bars in the district are a frustrated lot, as they still end up paying more than the maximum retail price (MRP) for alcoholic beverages.
It was in December 2024 that the Tasmac introduced QR code billing system across its outlets in the district in a bid to improve transparency, stop overcharging, and ensure proper billing and stock tracking.
However, the customers said the ground reality is far from what was promised. "Bills are still not being provided for their purchases," they said. The district has 159 Tasmac outlets and 19 recreational bars that function daily from 11 am to 11 pm.
A visit by TNIE to most of the Tasmac outlets and recreational bars across the city, including those along Karur Bypass Road, at Melachinthamani, Sanjeev Nagar, Odathurai Road, Devathanam, Puthur Four-Junction Road, Kudamurutti and Uzhavar Santhai, confirmed that the staff are collecting extra money from the customers and not giving them bills. At some outlets, the salesmen openly said there is shortage of paper rolls for the machines.
Sources said the customers have to shell out an extra Rs 10 to buy a bottle of beer from the outlets. Similarly, Rs 5 extra is being collected for a quarter bottle of liquor, and an extra of Rs 20-Rs 40 is collected for full bottle.
The situation is even worse in recreational bars. Here, the the staff is collecting nearly three times the MRP. A beer bottle or quarter costs Rs 40 more than the MRP, a quarter bottle of liquor costs Rs 20-30 more, and a full bottle costs an extra Rs 80 above the MRP.
The bars justify the overcharging by saying that they are providing the customers with glass, water and snacks, but the customers say they are not getting anything extra for the price the clubs are collecting. "Even though the price is mentioned clearly on the bottle, staff are demanding more. On Wednesday, I bought five bottles of beer and was asked to pay Rs 900, even though the MRP printed was Rs 850. If questioned, they simply ask us to take it or leave it. At some outlets, while paying via UPI, the staff demand us to pay the amount in multiples of 10, and they give the balance in cash, after deducting the extra amount," said R Manikandan, a regular customer.
S Shanmugam, an IT employee from Tiruchy said, "I buy a full bottle once a week from a recreational club after paying an extra Rs 80. Though they gave snack initially, they stopped giving it later. They don't even give a receipt for the purchase," he said.
A salesman at a Tasmac outlet in Tiruchy said the employees have no choice but to collect the extra amount. "We are forced to pay share to higher officials, cover the cost of broken bottles, and manage transportation. If someone calls the toll-free number to complain, the authorities will slap a fine on us immediately without any proper inquiry."
When contacted, an official from Tasmac in Tiruchy said, "There is no instruction from our side to charge more than the MRP. If salesmen collect extra money, we impose fines (collecting Rs 5 extra will invite a fine amount of Rs 5,900 along with GST, and collecting Rs 10 extra will invite a fine of Rs 10,900).
These fines are usually slapped during inspections or after receiving complaints through the toll-free number (18004252015)."