Puducherry Halts Shop's Valentine's Day 'Free Beer With Wine' Offer

Puducherry excise authorities have cracked down on a Valentine's Day promotional campaign that offered free beer with the purchase of wine, calling it a violation of the Puducherry Excise Rules, 1970. Officials said a show-cause notice will be issued to the licensee, who also runs a bar alongside the outlet, and warned that a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh could be imposed.

The action follows an inspection after the licensee publicly spoke about the promotional schemes in a television interview and on social media platforms. According to officials, two offers were promoted, one that provided a free beer can with the purchase of a specific brand of small wine bottle, and another offering four free beer cans with the purchase of a large wine bottle of the same brand.

Excise authorities said the promotions appeared to encourage the consumption of a mixture of wine and beer, which they consider a direct violation of rules prohibiting the promotion of alcohol consumption. However, during the inspection, officials noted that no promotional materials or display boards related to the offers were found inside the outlet.

Rajesh Khanna, Revenue Official, said that strict action would follow. "Any promotion of the consumption of alcohol is a violation. We would initiate a show-cause notice and impose a fine," he said. When asked about the possible penalty, he added that "a maximum of one lakh rupees" could be levied under the rules.

The crackdown comes amid heightened vigilance by authorities ahead of Valentine's Day, a period when themed promotions and special offers are common in hospitality and retail sectors. Officials indicated that outlets will be monitored closely to ensure compliance with existing excise regulations and to curb promotional tactics that may encourage excessive alcohol consumption.