ND1018113

Title: More Massachusetts Grocery Stores to Sell Beer

Description: A new agreement in Massachusetts would increase the current limit of three liquor licenses per company to five next year and up to nine in 2020.

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BOSTON ? An agreement reached last week by retailers and legislators in Massachusetts would expand the limit on the number of liquor licenses store chains can own, the Boston Globe reports. The bill could come before the Legislature later this week.

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The current limit of three per company would increase to five next year, to seven in 2016, and to nine in 2020, with permits requiring local approval.

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In 2006, the issue was a costly and contentious ballot measure, with lobbying efforts spending $11.5 million in the battle to allow more food stores to sell alcohol. As a result, supermarkets and liquor stores, along with alcohol distributors, were reluctant to renew the fight this year.

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While the 2006 bill would have allowed towns to issue an unlimited number of licenses, the current bill works within the current system.

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?It doesn?t change the overall number of licenses, just the number you can hold,? said Jon Hurst, president of the state?s retailers association. ?It?s a good compromise. I give both sides a lot of credit.?

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Supermarkets in Massachusetts have previously pushed for the opportunity to expand alcohol sales, but liquor stores have stiffly opposed the efforts. The new proposal, which phases in a modest increase gradually, reached a middle ground for both sides.

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?A lot of the small stores didn?t want to get overwhelmed,? said Chris Flynn, president of the Massachusetts Food Association, which represents the grocery industry.

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Content Subject: Operations

Formatted Article Date: October 18, 2011

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