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This forum is for discussing everything beer retail: LCBO, Beer Store, Grocery Stores and Indie Stores.

Moderators: Craig, Cass

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JaseWescott
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Post by JaseWescott »

I just noticed today at The Beer Store there is a clipboard on the counter with a petition attached to it talking about the 7000 Jobs.

not a single signature on it....

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Cass
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Post by Cass »

More on this issue from Josh in the Star...

https://www.thestar.com/business/is-the ... 47f57.html
Is The Beer Store finished? Sources say announcement coming soon that could end beer case sales monopoly

Within the next month, the Ford government is expected to announce it’s not renewing the Master Framework Agreement, which prevents anyone but The Beer Store from selling beer by the case.

seangm
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Post by seangm »

The article is paywalled, so the answer might be in there, but I thought it was just the LCBO who don't sell by the case. I've bought cases of beer at a discount direct from breweries before; Great Lakes sells a number of their beers at a case discount through their retail and online stores for instance.

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MatttthewGeorge
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Post by MatttthewGeorge »

seangm wrote: Tue Nov 14, 2023 10:27 am The article is paywalled, so the answer might be in there, but I thought it was just the LCBO who don't sell by the case. I've bought cases of beer at a discount direct from breweries before; Great Lakes sells a number of their beers at a case discount through their retail and online stores for instance.
I'm also paywalled, but...
Breweries have always been able to sell by the case. Also true for Beer Store-only and joint BS/LCBO agency stores, but not for LCBO-only agency stores.
So this move would allow LCBO, LCBO-only agency stores, and grocery stores to sell cases I believe.
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seangm
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Post by seangm »

MatttthewGeorge wrote: Tue Nov 14, 2023 12:24 pm
seangm wrote: Tue Nov 14, 2023 10:27 am The article is paywalled, so the answer might be in there, but I thought it was just the LCBO who don't sell by the case. I've bought cases of beer at a discount direct from breweries before; Great Lakes sells a number of their beers at a case discount through their retail and online stores for instance.
I'm also paywalled, but...
Breweries have always been able to sell by the case. Also true for Beer Store-only and joint BS/LCBO agency stores, but not for LCBO-only agency stores.
So this move would allow LCBO, LCBO-only agency stores, and grocery stores to sell cases I believe.
Got it, thanks for the response. I don't buy a lot of beer by the case anyway, but more choice/options are always welcome. Maybe we're one step closer to getting those Costco hexagons in Ontario lol

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Tapsucker
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Post by Tapsucker »

Honestly, I'm more annoyed by TBS being the only option for container return. Especially as more and more locations close and not everybody can make their way to them with empties. If they blow it up, I sure hope they come up with something smarter.

The proper solution is universal deposit on all beverage containers (pop, water, tetra etc.) and either the seller redeems (ie, the grocery store or LCBO takes back the empties of what they sold) or a network of automated collection machines like exist in other parts of the world. Everything gets a bar code. Dump your empties in a hopper, the kiosk scans, sorts and bins or bundles accordingly and spits out your change.

Am I the only one here to remember the days when you took your pop bottles and milk jugs back to the store you bought them from?
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The herd will consume until consumed.

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JerCraigs
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Post by JerCraigs »

FYI Toronto Pubic Library users can access Star articles via their website https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/boo ... papers.jsp (Library site is still a mess right now so not 100% sure this link works - try https://www.proquest.com/barcode?accoun ... upid=96447 )

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MatttthewGeorge
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Post by MatttthewGeorge »

Tapsucker wrote: Tue Nov 14, 2023 3:04 pm Honestly, I'm more annoyed by TBS being the only option for container return. Especially as more and more locations close and not everybody can make their way to them with empties. If they blow it up, I sure hope they come up with something smarter.

The proper solution is universal deposit on all beverage containers (pop, water, tetra etc.) and either the seller redeems (ie, the grocery store or LCBO takes back the empties of what they sold) or a network of automated collection machines like exist in other parts of the world. Everything gets a bar code. Dump your empties in a hopper, the kiosk scans, sorts and bins or bundles accordingly and spits out your change.

Am I the only one here to remember the days when you took your pop bottles and milk jugs back to the store you bought them from?

I have fond memories of visiting my grandparents and them giving my bro and I tons of pop bottles to return to the store and buy candy, ha!

In Alberta each town as a return centre run by the township that takes all returns (pop, beer, etc). They generally employee people with disabilities/exceptionalities, giving them a chance to enter the work force. I'm not saying it was a better system, although I certainly didn't feel like I got attitude about my returns, which I sometimes do a TBS.
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Cass
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Post by Cass »

More on this in today's Globe (paywalled) - announcement coming next week.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/ ... er-stores/
A government source has told The Globe and Mail that late next week, Premier Doug Ford’s government will unveil a plan to expand the places where alcohol is sold, including allowing beer in corner stores.

Andicus
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Post by Andicus »

Cass wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2023 10:09 am More on this in today's Globe (paywalled) - announcement coming next week.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/ ... er-stores/
A government source has told The Globe and Mail that late next week, Premier Doug Ford’s government will unveil a plan to expand the places where alcohol is sold, including allowing beer in corner stores.
Weird.. It's not even election time, yet. Maybe it's an attempt to distract from all the scandals.

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Cass
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Post by Cass »

Andicus wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2023 2:34 pm
Weird.. It's not even election time, yet. Maybe it's an attempt to distract from all the scandals.
No doubt trying to put out something that will likely be broadly accepted (except for the usual teetotaler crowd. Plus, that Beer Store agreement expires in a year so perhaps there’s some kind of notice period to let that lapse.

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Tapsucker
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Post by Tapsucker »

Cass wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2023 3:00 pm
Andicus wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2023 2:34 pm
Weird.. It's not even election time, yet. Maybe it's an attempt to distract from all the scandals.
No doubt trying to put out something that will likely be broadly accepted (except for the usual teetotaler crowd. Plus, that Beer Store agreement expires in a year so perhaps there’s some kind of notice period to let that lapse.
I hate lousy conspiracy theories. They are so lazy. But I love good ones!

So let's see.
Donald Ford's nephew is now in charge of the Science Centre decommission. Check.
His anti-vaxer body-builder influencer daughter gets a gig at the mega spa. Still speculation.
Harris' long term care homes corporation get a license to serve beer to residents in their rooms? I might actually be down with that...
Brands are for cattle.
Fans are cash cows.
The herd will consume until consumed.

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Cass
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Post by Cass »

Announcement coming on Thursday:
Three sources in the industry say the key changes include:

- Allowing all corner stores and any gas stations that sell food to sell beer, wine, cider and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages, such as seltzers or premixed cocktails (collectively known as RTDs).
- Allowing all grocery stores to sell beer, wine, cider and RTDs, scrapping the existing cap on the number of supermarkets with retail licences.
- Ending the restrictions that currently permit only The Beer Store to sell cases of 12 and 24.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ ... -1.7055737

portwood
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Post by portwood »

Cass wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2023 9:27 am Announcement coming on Thursday:
Three sources in the industry say the key changes include:

- Allowing all corner stores and any gas stations that sell food to sell beer, wine, cider and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages, such as seltzers or premixed cocktails (collectively known as RTDs).
- Allowing all grocery stores to sell beer, wine, cider and RTDs, scrapping the existing cap on the number of supermarkets with retail licences.
- Ending the restrictions that currently permit only The Beer Store to sell cases of 12 and 24.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ ... -1.7055737
Although a step in the right direction, I don't think this does much for most of the folks reading/posting in this forum.

Hopefully, the changes spark entrepreneurial folks to open up (more) outlets to (import)/sell the stuff we're really interested in buying (not two-fours of bud while filling up the car at Esso, LOL)
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Cass
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Post by Cass »

Press conference at 11am today.

The two things I'm most curious about is if the pricing system will remain uniform (which I suspect so) and if it will be easier to import (which I suspect not).

Ultimately I'm totally fine with more shopping options, but I don't think we'll see significant changes such as beer in Costcos (as they can't price negotiate) or seeing selection increase (as the import rules are still full of roadblocks and red tape).

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