Laserfiche WebLink
5 . EXTENDING 'THE WINE SELLING PRIVILEDGE TO MINNESOTA GROCERY STORES COULD HAVE • <br /> SEVERE MN-SEQUENCES ON MINNESOT CITIZENS : <br /> A. When grocery stores are allowed to sell wine , shocking wine consumption <br /> Increases occur overnight. These increases range from a low of 41 % to a <br /> high of 718% with an average of over 300% in studies conducted in <br /> seven states ; <br /> B. Wine consumption increases are uniquely dangerous ; <br /> 1 ) States dominated by wine consumption preferences have the highest . <br /> rates of overall alcohol consumption in the United States ; <br /> 2) States dominated by wine consumption preference have the highest rates <br /> of Liver Cirrhosis in the United States ; <br /> 3) When the aercentage of the alcohol consuming population broadens , the <br /> proportions of alcoholics and abusive drinkers broaden accordingly; <br /> 4) Foreign countries where wine is treated like a mere .food, like France <br /> and Italy, have the highest rates of alcoholism and 1-iver cirrhosis <br /> in the world; <br /> 5) Studies clearly show that when beer or spirits are, the dominant <br /> alcoholic beverage within a state, rates of alcoholism and liver <br /> cirrhosis are surprisingly low. <br /> 6) High correlations-exhist in many wine-in-grocery states between <br /> increased wine sales and Property Damage , Injury. Producing Accidents , & <br /> Felony Drunk Driving Arrests ; <br /> C. Grocery stores have a poor record of underage sales to minors . Studies <br /> from coast to coast reveal that grocers range from 50% to 900% more likely <br /> to make underage beverage alcohol sales than. exclusive . liquor dealers : <br /> D. Many wine-in-grocery stores states rank as the worst -states on the Alcohol l <br /> Problems Index which calculates per capita consumption, alcoholism, <br /> alcohol-related crimes, alcohol deaths , public drunkenness and drunk driving. <br /> 6. LARGE INCREASES IN WINE OUTLET AVAILABILITY IN MINNESOTA WOULD SET IN MOTION A <br /> PROCESS THAT WOULD LEAD TO THE DESTRUCTION OF MINNESOTICS EXCLUSIVE PACKAGE <br /> LIQUOR STORE INDUSTRY AND HARM CONSUMERS . <br /> A. One study shows a 25% gross sales drop to package liquor stores -when wine <br /> was introduced into grocery .stores ; <br /> B. Where -grocery stores can sell wine, wine industry studies show that grocers <br /> average nearly 70% of all wine sales in the marketplace; <br /> C. Municipal liquor stores (unique to Minnesota in any real numbers). .would be <br /> harmed, both reducing tax revenues and control . <br /> D. Consumers would be harmed since grocery stores rarely carry boutique wines, <br /> resulting in liquor stores being stuck with slower moving, imported wines . <br /> which means much higher prices . Exclusive liquor stores would also <br /> sharply reduce wine selection. One study projects a first year minimum <br /> decrease of 30,10 of facings and a minimum price increase of 20%. <br /> 7. DANGERS BEYOND THE .FIRST YEAR OF WINE IN GROCERY STORES: <br /> A. Wine sales could be extended to Gas Station Superettes ; <br /> B. Grocery stores could easily push for strong beer as well ; <br /> C. Only four states -with wine-in-grocery stores have resisted the pressure to • <br /> put Spirits in grocery stores <br /> D. The grocery-industry preference for Price Advertising would erode the <br /> last bastion of control% <br />