Read Governor Malloy’s comprehensive Modernizing Connecticut’s Liquor Laws proposal.

Ending the Sunday sales ban and expanding hours of operation for Connecticut’s neighborhood grocery and package stores:

• Connecticut is the only state in New England and one of only two states in the entire country that still prohibits the sale of beer wine and spirits at neighborhood grocery and package stores.

• Sunday is the busiest shopping day of the week.  Ending the Sunday sales ban will mean more choice and convenience for Connecticut consumers.

• Ending the Sunday sales ban will create jobs.  Being open for business on Sundays will mean more hours and new jobs for Connecticut’s neighborhood grocery and package store workers.

• Ending the Sunday sales ban will lead to an overall increase in sales of between 4 and 8 percent.  That translates to between $6.4 million and $11.2 million in new state revenue.

• Connecticut’s neighborhood grocery and package stores are losing businesses to stores in bordering states who allow Sunday sales and longer hours of operation.  According to one industry estimate, Connecticut is losing $570 million in sales to bordering states.

Eliminating minimum pricing:

• Connecticut beer, wine, and spirit distributors are currently required to offer the same price to all retailers and are prohibited from offering discounts.  Eliminating artificial minimum pricing rules will encourage greater competition and lower costs for Connecticut consumers.

Allowing neighborhood grocery stores to operate separate package stores:

• In conjunction with the creation of a new state-wide market for liquor license medallions, Connecticut grocers could purchase medallions to open separate package stores adjacent to their main stores.

• The creation of a new state-wide market for the sale of liquor licenses will give small package store owners the option of selling their valuable medallions.

Increasing the “2-store limit” to 9:

• Current law allows one person or business to operate only 2 package stores.  Increasing the 2-store limit to 9 will give store owners more flexibility and will promote greater competition which will benefit consumers.  Increasing the package store limit will place Connecticut businesses on the same footing as those in Massachusetts, which increased its limit to 9 stores in 2011.