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B.C. to drop retail liquor markup for liquor-licensed businesses

Discount applies starting the end of July due to COVID-19
21862045_web1_20200605-BPD-bar-liquor-flickr-CC
B.C. bars, pubs and restaurants pay a wholesale and retail markup for products purchased from the Liquor Distribution Branch. (Flickr creative commons)

The B.C. government says it will drop the retail markup charged to bars, pubs and restaurants starting at the end of July, to help businesses recover from the loss of business related to COVID-19 health restrictions.

The measure is to continue until a review of the business in March 2021, Attorney General David Eby announced June 16.

The wholesale markup charged to all customers remains, 124 per cent of the supplier price for hard liquor, 73 per cent for coolers and ciders and 89 per cent for wine through the Liquor Distribution Branch monopoly. A per-litre wholesale markup applies to beer, with ascending rates for small, medium and large breweries.

“Offering a wholesale discount for licensees was something we were exploring before COVID-19, but after the onset of the pandemic we accelerated efforts in order to support these community businesses as they try to find their feet,” Eby said.

RELATED: Restaurants called for wholesale rate in 2017


@tomfletcherbc
tfletcher@blackpress.ca

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