BC allowing liquor sales in grocery stores as of yesterday
By Castlegar Source
Eighty per cent of all feedback during the Liquor Policy Review asked for it, government promised it and now consumers will benefit from it: liquor sales in grocery stores started yesterday.
First out of the gate for the wine-on-shelves model is the Save-On-Foods in Surrey, partnering with the BC Wine Institute to represent almost 100 wineries, and selling around 500 different B.C. wines on its shelves for customers. To celebrate, a local winemaker and Save-On-Foods chef joined forces to offer expert advice and create a menu perfect for pairing with the 100% B.C. wines now sold in-store – signalling the start of a new grocery shopping experience for British Columbians.
To safeguard public safety and prevent access to alcohol by minors, all wine will be kept on designated shelves, and must be purchased at tills that have a Serving It Right certified, 19+ cashier. Food and wine pairings, including samples of wine, are also allowed in-aisle, thanks to recently updated rules.
Also on the radar is the new store-within-a-store model, which allows grocery stores to offer a full-suite of alcohol products. This model will be adopted gradually, as licences begin to relocate throughout the province – to other locations, and into grocery stores – providing more flexibility for businesses.
Today also marks a number of other changes that will increase competition in the marketplace, bring convenience, choice and selection for British Columbians, and support a level playing field for liquor retailers throughout B.C.:
* BC Liquor Stores will begin rolling out refrigeration, offering Sunday openings and extending their operating hours at a number of locations throughout the province.
* Many BC Liquor Stores will be opening their doors during the Easter holidays. Check out the changed hours at your local BC Liquor Store here: www.bcliquorstores.com
* All BC Liquor Stores prices on the shelf are now the pre-tax amount – with no significant change in the price customers see on their receipt.
* All liquor retailers – including BC Liquor Stores – will purchase their alcohol at the same wholesale price, using B.C.’s new wholesale model for liquor purchasing and distribution.
“This is a milestone event for B.C.’s progress in modernizing our liquor laws – a culmination of our public and industry consultations, our work to update B.C.’s liquor laws, and our promise to get out of the way and let B.C. businesses do what they do best: create jobs and enhance our economy,” said Suzanne Anton, Minister of Justice. “With two models to adopt, our made-in-B.C. grocery framework will offer shoppers the added convenience of grabbing B.C. wine right off the shelf, or taking their carts into a liquor store within a grocery store.
Quick Facts:
* The five-kilometre rule that limited private liquor store relocations has now been removed, allowing more flexibility for liquor licences to relocate throughout the province.
* The one-kilometre rule applies to the minimum distance between a private liquor store and another relocating private liquor store – it has now been extended to apply to BC Liquor Stores as well, helping to create a fair and competitive market.
* Following a successful pilot, special occasion licensing is moving online starting on April 7, 2015. The new website will be rolled-out regionally over the next month and a half.
* Of the province’s 196 BC Liquor Stores:
- · 169 stores have extended their operating hours
- · 134 stores will be open year-round on Sundays, and an additional 27 will be open seasonally on Sundays
- · BC Liquor Stores’ Easter weekend hours:
- · 153 stores will be open on Good Friday
- · All stores will be closed on Easter Sunday
- · 27 stores will be open on Easter Monday
Learn More:
View a list of BC Liquor Stores that have signed on for extended hours, including on Sunday: www.bcliquorstores.com
Find answers to questions about liquor in B.C. grocery stores and the lottery process: www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/lclb/policy/qa.htm
Learn about applying for your special occasion licence online: www.solo.bcldb.com
