CHOICE. CONVENIENCE.

NEW JOBS AND REVENUE.

It's time for Maryland Alcohol Choice

Maryland is one of only a handful of states that restrict beer and wine sales to liquor stores.


Every day, people are missing out on convenience and competitive prices for a six-pack of beer or a bottle of wine. Local craft beers and wineries are missing out on the opportunity to showcase their products to a wider audience. Neighborhood grocery stores are missing out on a stabilizing product. Restrictive laws mean we all miss out. It's time to reform Maryland's archaic liquor laws.


IT'S TIME TO GET INVOLVED

Click Here to Contact Your Legislators!


 Polls show that almost 80% of Marylanders support being allowed to buy beer and wine at their local grocery store, and over 50,000 people have reached out to the legislature in favor of changing the law. Please click the link above to share your voice and let your elected officials know that it's time to bring freedom and choice to Maryland's beer and wine market!



Get Involved

ABOUT

MD Alcohol Choice is a grassroots group of consumers and businesses that needs help from Maryland citizens who want to bring common sense and convenience to our state’s antiquated liquor laws by allowing the sale of beer and wine at a wider variety of businesses. Join us today!

Good for consumers. Good for business.

Click Here to Sign Our Petition Today! RAISE YOUR GLASS FOR LIQUOR REFORM!

THE FACTS

What is the issue?

Each jurisdiction in Maryland – many of which would welcome new revenue, new jobs, and new stores – can regulate the time and location for beer and wine sales by approved sellers, but local districts are unable to grant licenses to chain stores. Maryland law protects the sole interests of liquor store owners, not Maryland consumers and localities.


What are Maryland’s liquor laws?

Over 40 years ago, Maryland enacted a law that protected liquor stores from competition from chains by only awarding one license per person and restricting licenses so they can be awarded to Maryland residents only. A few dozen chain stores were grandfathered in, but this is confusing for consumers who just want to buy their alcohol anywhere in the state.


Times have changed. Now shoppers can buy almost anything on the internet…but still can’t pick up a bottle of wine at the grocery store? That’s ridiculous.


What does Maryland stand to gain by fixing its out-of-date laws?

MD Alcohol Choice commissioned an analysis study to determine the potential economic effects of allowing Marylanders to choose where to buy their alcohol. The study found that on average, consumers go to the grocery store at least once a week if not more – the state’s restrictions on beer and wine sales at these stores limit taxable sales, costing the state jobs and tax revenues. The economic analysis determined that allowing beer and wine to be sold in additional food retailers would increase overall sales in Maryland by $192.8 million, create 760 new jobs, and bring in $24.1 million in additional tax revenues.

Download the Dunham & Associates Study


What about Maryland's local beer and wine makers?

Some people think that if we open beer and wine sales to grocery stores, local craft brewers and wineries will get squeezed out by larger distributors. This fear is unfounded. When it comes to the number of craft breweries per capita, eight of the top ten states allow grocery store sales of beer, and so do eight of the bottom ten states – clearly there is no correlation between grocery sales and local craft success.


Shouldn’t we protect small mom-and-pop liquor stores?

Yes! Small businesses are a critical part of the state economy, and research shows that existing stores would only be marginally impacted by updating Maryland’s laws. Other states that have made similar changes in recent years have not seen a negative impact on smaller stores.


Grocery stores don’t need beer and wine sales – do they?

Fresh-food grocery stores operate at 1-3% profit margins – the lowest margins in the retail industry – and often struggle to make those economics work. Beer and wine sales can make a critical difference in this industry, and are often a deciding factor in determining locations for new stores and reducing food deserts. If we are interested in stabilizing our existing grocers and attracting new stores, the ability to sell alcohol is a game changer.

Do Maryland residents even want beer and wine sales in grocery and convenience stores?

Absolutely! Polls show overwhelming support year after year, with support for the ability to buy beer and wine in grocery stores jumping from 63% in 2012 to 72% in 2022. In Maryland’s rural jurisdictions, support soars to 78% approval.

Download the January 2022 Gonzales Poll

?HOW DO WE COMPARE NATIONALLY

Maryland is far behind the curve and in the minority on this issue. 47 of our 50 states allow beer sales in grocery or convenience stores, and only a handful of other states outside of Maryland prohibit wine sales in grocery stores. 85% of Americans are able to purchase beer and wine in grocery stores. Marylanders want the same ability.

 

What are liquor stores afraid of?


Marylanders want to buy beer and wine at their local grocery and convenience stores.  

Raise your glass for liquor reform!


It's time for Maryland alcohol choice.

Beer Sales in Grocery Stores
PDF Download | Food Industry Association
DOWNLOAD PDF
Wine Sales in Grocery Stores
PDF Download | Food Industry Association
DOWNLOAD PDF
Spirit Sales in Grocery Stores
PDF Download | Food Industry Association
DOWNLOAD PDF

JOIN US

It's time to demand modern liquor laws that give all businesses a level playing field and provide convenience to consumers!


We need YOU to help change the law! We’ll send you periodic alerts and information about the fight to reform Maryland’s antiquated liquor laws.


JOIN THE FIGHT

Or contact your legislator to demand your right to

buy wine and beer at grocery and convenience stores.

RESOURCES
And MD Alcohol Choice in the news

Should Maryland grocery stores sell beer?”, Baltimore Sun, September 6, 2017
Why not sell beer in Md. grocery stores?”, Opinion, Baltimore Sun, September 7, 2017
More reasons to let grocery stores sell beer and wine”, Baltimore Sun, September 13, 2017
Allowing beer, wine sales by grocers”, Frederick News-Post, September 23, 2018
"Why booze matters: Fixing alcohol laws during covid-19", Opinion, Washington Post, October 30, 2020
"Outdated Liquor Laws Need Changing In Md.", Opinion, The Dispatch, December 30, 2020
"Grocery stores could sell alcohol if amendment goes on ballot", Southern Maryland News, February 23, 2022
"Why New York Has Such Strange Rules About Alcohol", The New York Times, June 1, 2023
Share by: