It doesn’t make any sense why beer is sold in local grocery stores, but the sale of wine is prohibited. In six of the seven states that border Kentucky, shoppers can purchase wine in grocery stores. We don’t see why that can’t take place in Kentucky.
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Allow wine sales at grocery stores in state
the Daily News
Published: October 22, 2008
It doesn’t make any sense why beer is sold in local grocery stores, but the sale of wine is prohibited.
In six of the seven states that border Kentucky, shoppers can purchase wine in grocery stores. We don’t see why that can’t take place in Kentucky.
Kroger and Bowling Green-based Houchens Industries are pushing to make wine sales legal in groceries here – something state law currently prohibits.
But why? Beer and wine have virtually the same alcohol content, so what’s the difference between selling wine and beer in the same location?
The Food With Wine Coalition is seeking to change the law to allow such sales in areas that are already “wet” or “moist” – in this region, that would only allow sales in Bowling Green and Russellville.
About 400 to 500 stores in Kentucky would be eligible to sell wine if the law is changed. Currently, some grocers such as Kroger can sell liquor and wine, but they have to build a separate building next to the grocery store to do it. This not only is a inconvenience for the costumer, but also a costly project for Kroger to undertake.
Changing the law would add a convenience factor to patrons who frequent Houchens and Kroger stores.
Allowing wine to be sold in stores would also increase wine sales all around – helping Kentucky wineries and bringing in more tax revenue. Luke Schmidt, lobbyist for the coalition, said that statewide the change could produce $55 million in new state new tax revenue – without raising rates – between 2009 and 2013.
It should be noted that the campaign isn’t aimed at selling alcohol where it’s now prohibited, selling hard liquor in grocery stores or allowing Sunday alcohol sales.
There are many good reasons for the sale of wine in grocery stores in this state and we hope that when legislators convene in January for the next session, they will consider these reasons and overturn this outdated law.