The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Union government and several State Excise authorities on a petition seeking prohibition on the sale of alcoholic beverages in inconspicuous packaging such as tetra packs and sachets.
The Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the Centre and State authorities to respond to the plea filed by the organisation Community Against Drunken Driving.
During the hearing, the Apex Court expressed concern over the manner in which certain alcoholic products were packaged and marketed. It observed that such packaging could be misleading, particularly where alcoholic beverages were sold in containers resembling fruit juice cartons or other non-alcoholic products.
Appearing for the petitioner organisation, Advocate Vipin Nair submitted that several alcohol products sold in tetra packs carried fruit imagery and flavour descriptions but did not contain prominent statutory health warnings comparable to those mandated for tobacco products. It was argued that the packaging design created a deceptive appearance capable of misleading consumers, particularly minors.
The petition sought directions to the Central government to formulate a uniform national policy prohibiting the sale of liquor in tetra packs, sachets and similar concealed or inconspicuous packaging formats across all States and Union Territories. It further sought standardisation of the legal definition of bottling under the excise laws by restricting the sale of alcoholic beverages to glass bottles or other clearly distinguishable containers.
According to the plea, the present packaging practices facilitated concealment and easy transportation of liquor, increased the risk of underage consumption, encouraged drinking in public places and moving vehicles, and enabled easier interstate smuggling. The petition also raised environmental concerns related to disposable multi-layer packaging materials.
It further alleged that several vodka products were marketed using fruit names, colourful packaging and images resembling juice cartons, thereby blurring the distinction between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. It contended that such branding and packaging strategies were capable of targeting juvenile consumers and circumventing effective regulatory scrutiny under existing excise and public health laws.
Earlier in November 2025, while hearing trademark rectification proceedings involving whisky brands, the Supreme Court had orally observed that liquor sold in tetra packs closely resembled fruit juice cartons and raised concerns regarding the nature of such packaging.
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