Women account for 30% liquor customers
Posted by iluvshrutiverma on August 9, 2010
CHENNAI/BANGALORE: It’s 7 pm on a Friday and on her way back from office, Harini Mathur Singh, 29, makes a pit stop at the Spencer’s store on Bangalore’s M G Road. In her trolley: potato chips, salted peanuts, microwave popcorn, two bottles of Shiraz, vodka and a few cans of beer. “It’s girls’ night at my place today,” said the HR professional at an IT company. “My friends are coming over and we unwind over movies and drinks.”
Women today account for almost 30% of liquor customers at the 15 Spencer’s stores across the country. Their pick: wines and white spirits. “In the past year alone, we have seen a growth of 40% in women buying liquor from our stores,” said Mohit Kampani, V-P (merchandising, food and FMCG) of RPG Retail, which runs the Spencer’s chain.
A dipstick survey of traditional liquor outlets by AZ Research Partners, a marketing consultancy firm, revealed that female buyers were literally non-existent. Not surprising, since at non-department liquor outlets women are at risk of being stared down and teased. With the advent of branded liquor retail stores and dedicated liquor counters at supermarkets, the number of women buyers has increased to 10-12%, over the past few years.
There were only a few standalone stores like Not Just Wine and Cheese that offered liquor in premium ambience, while only an odd store like Thoms sold alcoholic beverages alongside groceries and bakery products in Bangalore. Now, more like FoodWorld Gourmet and United Breweries’ Spiritz & More are joining the fray.
Dedicated to my wife... 
hodel said
Why is this news worth posting?
iluvshrutiverma said
In my country (as in most countries of the world), women are considered ‘of high moral character’. Only men are supposed to indulge in smoking, drinking, violence etc. This post is relevant because it mentions that 30% of the people buying liquor are women. This does not account for all the liquor that they would send their men to buy for them