Where to Buy Duty-Free Alcohol in Mumbai?

Posted by Pranay Shelar on March 24th, 2020

Who wouldn’t love it if there was a tax exemption on your liquor, right? No wonder why so many of us demand bottles from our friends who’ve just come back from a trip abroad! After all, they aren’t paying tax on bottles of our favourite drinks.

First off, what exactly does duty-free imply?

Duty-free implies to goods or products without adding duty, i.e. taxes, or VAT. Duty-free shops are often found in international terminals of airports, and sometimes at ship port terminals or border crossings. The rates for products at duty-free shops are generally lower than the outside rates. People often buy duty-free items like wine, beer or liquor.

How was duty free born? 

Duty-Free originates from Ireland; way back after the Second World War, people were flying across the globe. It was discovered that people would love to shop at airports while waiting for flights. Since, Ireland needed money; they decided to offer their products without tax. But Navigating International Law was a significant hurdle, and so Ireland declared Shannon Airport was no longer a part of it. This is how Duty-Free came to Birth. 

What is duty-free alcohol?

Duty-Free Alcohol means that the duty or government levied taxes won’t get applicable to the liquor product. Such taxes are termed as import taxes that need to be paid while purchasing the product. You need to bear in mind that duty-free liquor is only sold to you at a discounted rate if you’re an international passenger. Domestic passengers need to shell out more money if they wish to purchase duty-free alcohol. Again, age is another criterion to pick up the bottles of your choice. Duty-free alcohol will not be sold under the age of 18 to 21.  

Where can you buy duty-free alcohol in Mumbai?

There are duty-free shops at the Arrivals section of the Chhatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai where you can buy duty-free liquor on arrival.  As of now, an arriving international passenger is permitted to buy two litres of liquor from duty-free shops.

You can also order your liquor online beforehand at https://mumbaidutyfree.net/ and collect it on arrival at the airport.

Duty-free shops at international airports offer about 10% to 20% discount on bottles depending on various brands. A lesser known fact is that many liquor brands release special bottles, a category known as Global Travel Retail (GTR), that are available only at an airport. This means that you may find some really unique bottles that can be the perfect gift for someone (or maybe some self-indulgence!).

Duty-free does not necessarily mean that you can’t get alcohol at cheaper rates at other shops. Jasmine Wines offers various discounts on bulk purchases and party orders, as well as wholesale prices for liquor. Before making your purchases at a duty-free store, look up the prices online for the best offer.

So the next time you find yourself at the arrivals section at the Mumbai International Airport or are waiting to pick up a loved one, make sure you get your 2 litres of duty-free liquor! Enjoy the discounted rate of duty free alcohol. Say Cheers!