Is There Any Place Safe for the Sale of Wine?

I must admit, I am fascinated by the campaign in Massachusetts that has that state deciding whether or not wine should be sold in grocery stores. Currently one must go to a liquor store to buy wine.

There is a good deal of money being spent with grocers on one side of the fight and liquor stores and distributors on the anti side of the fight.

What struck me in the articles I’ve been reading about this campaign is that the distributors 1) don’t want wine sold in grocery stores and 2) that the argument they are making against grocery sales of wine is that it will be easier for minors to get their hands on wine.

First, why would distributors of wine not want more outlets at which they can sell their wines? I hasten to think that it might mean more work for them as they would have to make more stops.

Second, it’s cracks me up that for a decade distributors have been arguing that on-line sales are bad because there is no face-to-face transaction, which will lead to minors being more likely to get their hands on wine. Now, at least in Massachusetts, they seem to be arguing that even face to face sales are dangerous.  In THIS article we have those aligned against the proposed law allowing sales in grocery stores saying that shoplifting by minors is more likely to happen in grocery stores.

Why do I get the feeling that distributors  would prefer there be one store in each state where wine can be purchased. They wouldn’t necessarily own the store. However, it would mean they would have only one stop to make, one buyer to take on trips, and they’d only have to have one truck to deliver the wine (however, it would have to be a big one.)


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