In one of the quieter recounts following a noisy November election, voters in Colorado okayed the sale of wine in grocery stores. Proposition 125 passed by a slim margin following a protracted vote tally, meaning that grocery stores that already have a beer license can sell wine starting on March 1, 2023. According to the Colorado Secretary of State’s office, with 64 of 64 counties reporting by Nov. 22, the vote was 50.58% in favor, with 1,228,394 “yes” votes, and 49.42% not in favor, with 1,200,205 “no” votes.
The split in the electorate was largely among location lines, as voters in urban areas were more in favor of allowing sales of wine at grocery stores. Many owners and operators of independent liquor stores opposed the legislation, contending that it would harm their business.
“We’re pleased that Coloradans will soon be able to pick up a bottle of wine when purchasing groceries,” Rick Reiter, campaign director for Wine in Grocery Stores, told the Colorado Sun newspaper. “Consumer habits are evolving, and it was inevitable that either this election, or one soon thereafter, that Colorado would become the 40th state to have wine in grocery stores.”
While licensed grocers can sell wine, sales are not allowed at self-checkout stands. Meanwhile, those who want to order wine and other adult beverages from delivery services will also have to wait, as Colorado voters shot down Proposition 126. That proposal, which would have allowed alcohol delivery and alcohol to-go, lost by more than two percentage points.
The original article can be found at Progressive Grocer.
