Oregon Proposal Would Allow Distilled Spirits on Supermarket Shelves

The bill has an uphill battle from opponents who feel liquor doesn’t belong in a grocery store.

January 17, 2014

SALEM – A bill that would place liquor in grocery stores received a cool reception this week from Oregon lawmakers, The Oregonian reports. “When you put liquor in the aisle next to the lettuce, a lot of things are going to walk,” said state Rep. Jim Thompson.

The House and Senate business committees looked at the bill during a joint hearing. The hybrid plan, which was put forth by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, outlined how the state would keep its control over distilled spirits but would let big supermarket chains sell it. State-licensed liquor stores would stay open. Retailers would be allowed to price their stock over a mandated floor.

Also a possibility is a ballot measure which would get Oregon out of the liquor business by moving it into the private sector. Neighboring Washington state privatized liquor sales after voter approval of the plan. “We may not choose to do anything,” said state Sen. Lee Beyer, who chairs the Senate Business and Transportation Committee. “But there's a very high likelihood that voters will have a chance to think about this in November.”

Oregonians for Competition views the proposal as not enough. The group has tried six times to move the state into private liquor sales. “The OLCC proposal seeks to protect the state's Prohibition-era monopoly on the sale of liquor in the state,” said spokesman Pat McCormick. “Selling liquor is not a core function of government. Our initiative focuses the state on alcohol law enforcement, rather than liquor sales and promotion.”

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