DENVER | A coalition of Colorado liquor store owners, brewers, distillers and vintners reaffirmed its commitment to fight a possible change to state liquor laws Oct. 21, after a group of chain grocery stores announced plans to lobby lawmakers or attempt to pen a 2016 ballot question to allow full-strength booze in supermarkets.
The recently formulated team in favor of changing the laws, composed of representatives from large national grocers including Kroger and Safeway, argues that the state’s longstanding prohibition on selling wine, liquor and beer stronger than 3.2 percent alcohol by volume in supermarkets is out-of-date and out-of-touch with customers desires.
The coalition opposed to changing the laws, deemed Keep Colorado Local, claims that nixing the current regulations would largely wipe out the state’s independent liquor stores, which would in turn decimate Colorado’s craft beer industry.
The state currently boasts over 280 breweries and ranks fourth in the country in terms of number of breweries per capita, according to the Brewer’s Association. There are about 1,650 independent liquor stores in Colorado.
“Expanding sales for chain stores would nearly double the number of outlets selling alcohol and is a direct threat to small businesses like mine that are located in existing shopping center,” Kim Schottleutner, owner of DTC Wine & Spirits in Greenwood Village and president of the Colorado Licensed Beverage Association, said in a recent Keep Colorado Local press release.
Lobbies working on behalf of supermarket chains have attempted to amend the current laws several times at the State Legislature since 2008.
Colorado is one of eight states that do not allow shoppers to purchase liquor, wine or full-strength beer in chain grocery stores.
In order to make the 2016 ballot, the group working on behalf of grocers must file a petition with at least 98,492 signatures with the Colorado Secretary of State by August.