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ARLINGTON, Va. – The Food Industry Association has released a report exploring whether newly allowed wine sales at grocery stores in Tennessee beginning in 2016 led to liquor store closures and changes in state sales tax revenues. The research was conducted by Dr. Vincenzina Caputo of Michigan State University titled “Assessing the Impact of Wine Sale Reform: A Case Study of Tennessee.”
Through the creation of a “synthetic” Tennessee, the report examines what would have happened in the state if wine sales were not permitted and compares those results with real-world outcomes since 2016. The report also compares present-day Tennessee with other states that do not allow wine sales in grocery stores. The research indicates that liquor stores did not see a statistically significant increase in closures, and that state sales tax revenues rose due to the growth in demand for and purchase of wine at grocery stores.
FMI vice president, state government relations Elizabeth Tansing stated, “Consumers value the convenience of being able to purchase a bottle of wine to have with dinner at the same location where they shop for their groceries. Through this research, we have shown that allowing wine sales in grocery stores does not lead to liquor store closures as some would suggest, and in fact has positive benefits for the state in increased tax revenues while at the same time giving consumers greater options for making their wine purchases.”
Tansing continued, “There are still 11 states that don’t allow wine to be sold at grocery stores. This research demonstrates that state governments can be confident that allowing wine sales in grocery will not harm the liquor store sector, will bring additional revenues to state coffers, and will provide shoppers with greater choice.”
