THREE alcohol wholesalers, two in Bangkok and one in Nakhon Ratchasima, said yesterday (Dec. 22) that the expected strong festive season sales has not materialised with purchases either only edging up slightly or downright plunging, Matichon newspaper said.
Mr. Somchai Pornrattanacharoen, owner of the S. Sappakit store and former president of the Thai Wholesale and Retailers Association, said overall purchasing power is still low and will likely remain so in Bangkok during the long New Year’s holiday as large number of residents are going to the provinces to celebrate.
This will boost sales outside Bangkok, particularly tourist cities, but it will be for a short spell.
“Right now the flow of wholesale orders for beer is not bustling, there is no (celebratory) mood in small shops.
“Although like before they have come to pre-order stocks since the end of November to gear up for New Year, this only increased by 10-20% from normal level, for example from one crate to two, but not as many as 10 crates as in the past.
“Trading is not very good because people don’t have money to spend,” he said.
A liquor and beer wholesaler in Rama 3 road area of Bangkok said beer sales are still dull compared to previous years. Normally there is a bustling flow of buyers from early December but this year it has been very quiet the whole of this month.
Sales at this store have in fact dropped by 20% but soft drinks continue to sell well as they have done the whole of this year because prices have not gone up yet.
A source at a wholesale-cum-retail store in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) estimated that overall purchasing power has dropped by 20% in terms of liquor and beer sales this festive season, with wholesale orders having dropped by 10%.
“Our store has joined the government’s ‘easy e-receipt’ campaign to push sales early in the New Year, offering 20-30% discount on best-selling products in every category, such as rice, detergent, shampoo, fish sauce and oil, for a total of 10 days from Jan. 1 to Jan. 10. as an incentive for shoppers because we understand that the purchasing power of people in the provinces is probably not as high as those in Bangkok.
“It is hoped that this project will improve the store’s sales by 10-20% next year and we will also have more frequent promotions, once every 10 days, to spur purchasing power,” the source said.
Under the Pheu Thai-led government’s “easy e-receipt” campaign for the well-to-do, each recipient may buy a maximum of 50,000 baht worth of goods and services at stores in the boundaries of their home district from Jan. 1 until Feb.15 and have their personal income tax refunded.
However, the parallel 10,000-baht digital wallet campaign for those who may currently earn no more than 70,000 baht monthly or currently have no more than 500,000 baht in bank account is not effective until May.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Friends clicking glasses of beer.Photo: Unsplash/Giovanna Gomes/ and published by CNA
Front Page: An alcoholic drink. Photo: Tim Sackton (CC-BY-SA-2.0)
Also read:
Alcohol allowed up to 4 a.m. at night venues staying open till then
Cabinet nod for unrestricted alcohol sales at Eastern Aviation City’s entertainment zone
Pita pushes fair competition in alcohol industry during Chai Nat visit
PATA chairman blasts global geopolitical unrest as ‘existential threat’ to tourism
Shopping sprees by well-to-do to spur 70bn baht cash flow
More lifeguards at Patong beach as 4 a.m. night venue closing rolls on
