Kerala Launches Rs 20 Refundable Deposit On Plastic Liquor Bottles From Today

Kerala is launching a pilot deposit refund scheme on plastic liquor bottles in select outlets, charging Rs 20 extra, refundable upon bottle return with intact label.

In a related move, Bevco announced that from October 1, old newspapers will no longer be used to wrap liquor bottles.

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Beginning Wednesday, September 10, liquor sold in plastic bottles at select outlets in Kerala will carry an additional Rs 20 charge as part of a refundable deposit scheme aimed at encouraging customers to return bottles for recycling. The pilot project is being rolled out at 20 outlets across Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur districts.

According to Beverages Corporation (Bevco) CMD Harshita Attalluri, the Rs 20 deposit will be collected separately during purchase and refunded once the bottle is returned with its special label intact, reported Mathrubhumi. The labels, designed by C-DIT, will also identify the outlet of purchase. While customers will receive a separate receipt for the deposit, refunds can be claimed without presenting the original bill.

How To Get Rs 20 Refund On Plastic Liquor Bottles

The participating outlets include 10 in Thiruvananthapuram—Mukkola, Power House Road, Gowreesapattom, Nettayam Mukkola, Ambalamukku, Muttathara, Plamood, Uloor, Karikkakom, and Chenkottukonam—and 10 other places in Kannur, as reported by Manorama.

Each outlet has been allocated Rs 10,000 to handle refunds, which must be disbursed strictly from this fund. Dedicated counters will be set up for collection and bulk returns will also qualify. Kudumbashree workers will assist in operations, while the returned bottles will be handed over to Clean Kerala Company for recycling.

Currently, the 20 participating outlets sell around 27 lakh bottles monthly. Authorities said the trial phase would help resolve logistical challenges before expanding the initiative statewide in January, when the deposit will be included in the main bill. Once rolled out fully, the scheme is expected to cover nearly four crore bottles sold across Kerala every month. Officials are also exploring integration of QR codes already printed on bottles to simplify the return process and reduce reliance on separate labels.

In a related move, Bevco announced that from October 1, old newspapers will no longer be used to wrap liquor bottles. Customers will instead have to purchase carry bags, priced at Rs 15 and Rs 20.