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Complex Liquor Code creates legal oddities.
In recent months, I have used this space to focus on some of the most pressing issues relating to the sale of alcohol in Pennsylvania, including supermarket beer sales, licensing and packaging laws, and state store privatization.
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Privatization push would no affect most beer sales laws.
The Pennsylvania House Liquor Control Committee recently grabbed newspaper headlines across the state by passing a liquor privatization bill that would set up a new system for the sale of wine. Unlike past proposals that would completely eliminate the current state monopoly on wine and liquor sales, the amended version of House Bill 11 would leave this system intact while allowing private companies to compete with the LCB. Rather than closing state Wine and Spirit stores, the proposal would set up a parallel system of wine sales by private businesses.
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Changes to beer licensing laws could benefit small brewers, retail distributors.
In previous articles, I have addressed many of the dangers posed by allowing beer retail distributors to own multiple retail beer licenses. While this change could make beer purchases more convenient for consumers who only drink beers from the largest breweries, allowing entities such as supermarket chains and convenience stores to own multiple licenses could have a serious economic impact on smaller, locally owned breweries and reduce the variety of different beers available to consumers. However, there are other potential actions the state can take in regards to licensing laws that could provide added convenience for consumers while protecting our small breweries and family-owned retail beer distributors. Read more…
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Beer sales in supermarkets would hurt small breweries, reduce consumer options.
Pennsylvania’s alcohol sales laws have come under fire in recent years from large supermarkets and chain stores who would like to sell beer in their stores. While this significant change would likely generate more sales for these corporations and provide added convenience for consumers who only drink beer from the largest producers such as Miller or Coors, allowing supermarket beer sales under the state’s current three tiered system would have an adverse effect on local microbrewers, family-owned distributors and consumers who enjoy a variety of different beers. Read more…
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Small changes to beer retail license laws can create serious consequences.
Pennsylvania’s laws relating to alcohol sales are extremely complex. More than 19,000 businesses in Pennsylvania are licensed by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to handle alcoholic beverages, and there are more than 2,000 different kinds of retail licenses for the sale of liquor and brewed or malted beverages in the state. These laws and licenses are designed to help the state track sales and provide small and large brewing operations to market and sell their products safely and efficiently. However, even small changes to the laws relating to these licenses can have enormous consequences for consumers, producers and retailers. Read more…
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Pennsylvania’s unique three-tiered alcohol distribution system.
Since the repeal of the National Prohibition Act in 1933, the laws and regulations governing the sale of beer and liquor in Pennsylvania have undergone hundreds of changes. Due to the complexity of the laws and the vast number of new proposals governing the sale of beer and liquor in the state, it is extremely difficult for consumers and small breweries to stay abreast of every issue that affects the beer community. Over the next several issues of Philly Beer Scene, I will explore some of the most important issues, proposals and recent legislative actions relating to the sale of beer in Pennsylvania. Read more…
