PANAJI
Confusion over the use of QR codes on liquor bottles has forced the Goa government to postpone the implementation of its ambitious Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) by another seven months, with the rollout for liquor and liquor-based products now scheduled for April 1, 2027, instead of September 1, 2026.
Sources said the Excise Department expressed its inability to implement the scheme from September as the department is already introducing QR-coded liquor bottles for tracking and preventing smuggling. The parallel requirement of QR codes under the DRS created uncertainty among government departments, bottling companies, liquor retailers and other stakeholders over which QR code should be used.
"The Excise Department has now been asked to integrate both QR code systems. The new mechanism has to be in place before April 1 next year," an official said.
The government on Wednesday issued a fresh notification partially modifying its earlier notification of June 30, 2026, which had proposed the DRS rollout from September 1 with registration of Producers, Importers and Brand Owners to be completed by July 31.
Under the revised notification, Phase I of the scheme will now commence from April 1, 2027, while all PIBOs dealing in liquor and liquor-based products must obtain DRS registration on or before February 28, 2027. Registration will remain mandatory for placing such products in the Goa market from the revised implementation date.
This is the second postponement of the scheme. It was originally slated for April 1, 2026, but Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had announced in the Assembly that its implementation would be deferred by six months to a year to allow wider consultations and public awareness.
Phase I will cover liquor and liquor-based commodities packaged in glass, plastic, metal and other notified packaging materials, including multi-layered packaging and liquid packaging boards. Under the DRS, consumers purchasing eligible products will pay a refundable deposit ranging from Rs 2 to Rs 10 over and above the Maximum Retail Price. The deposit will be refunded when the empty bottle or container is returned at designated collection centres.
