Chennai: Tasmac on Saturday launched a pilot in Coimbatore and Cuddalore, allowing customers to return empty liquor bottles at any outlet within the district for a Rs 10 refund. However, staff have raised concerns over shortages of scanners and increased workload.
Initiative Details
The initiative, aimed at streamlining the collection of empty liquor bottles and improving compliance following a High Court directive, is being introduced in phases, officials said. Tasmac had planned to extend the rollout to Coimbatore South and North districts in the Kovai region, and to Cuddalore and Pudukkottai districts in the Trichy region. However, the launch in Pudukkottai was deferred following objections from salesmen and supervisors over logistical constraints, such as a shortage of handheld scanners.
Under the scheme, customers are allowed to return bottles at any Tasmac outlet within the same district, a shift from the existing system where returns are accepted only at the shop of purchase.
Operational Challenges
Workers on the ground say the system is not yet equipped to handle the change. Each outlet currently has two handheld devices used to scan bottles during sales as part of Tasmac's end-to-end computerization process. The new system requires additional scanning: once during sale and again when empty bottles are returned, placing added strain on existing resources.
"Now we have to scan each bottle twice and also scan the empty bottles when they are brought back," said a Tasmac supervisor in Coimbatore. "Without more handheld devices and staff, it will be difficult to manage."
Previous Attempts and Future Plans
The buyback scheme is implemented in parts of the state but is yet to cover all of Tamil Nadu's roughly 4,800 outlets. Previous attempts to expand it, including in Chennai and surrounding districts, were stalled amid resistance from workers who cited increased workload from manually labeling bottles, storing returns, and maintaining separate accounts.
Tasmac has directed distilleries and breweries to affix the Rs 10 refund labels at the production stage. Officials said shipments with pre-labeled bottles have already begun. This is expected to reduce manual work at retail outlets. Still, frontline staff remain cautious, warning that without additional infrastructure and manpower, the expanded return policy could face the same operational hurdles that slowed earlier efforts.
