B.C. makes liquor price break for restaurants, bars permanent
Posted February 23, 2021 3:45 pm.
Last Updated February 23, 2021 3:48 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – You may still pay the same price for a beer or margarita, but the province has announced changes expected to help your local pub, restaurant or bar outlast the pandemic.
A temporary move in June 2020 allowing the hospitality industry to access wholesale liquor prices was set to expire at the end of March.
Jeff Guignard, executive director of the B.C. Alliance of Beverage Licensees (ABLE BC), is grateful that decision has been made permanent by the provincial government.
“They’re making a really strong commitment to support small businesses. It’s always angered our industry a bit that we were not given access to wholesale prices, but they realize it’s just the right thing to do and it’s the only way B.C.’s 8,800 licensed pubs, bars, and restaurants are going to have a shot at making it through this pandemic.”
.@JeffGuignard says 80% of @ablebc members are struggling, so the province making this temporary fix permanent means "your favourite neighbourhood pub is going to be there for you after the pandemic." #bcpoli @NEWS1130
— Marcella Bernardo (@MBernardoNews) February 23, 2021
He says the industry, which employs 190,000 workers across B.C., has been asking for this because 80 per cent of ABLE BC members have reported losing money since the pandemic started and this helps reduce purchasing costs as much as 20 per cent.
“It’s huge. It’s an absolute game changer. You know, customers won’t necessarily see any difference because you are eliminating a mark-up that we pay in the background, but it’s going to allow us to make sure, in an environment where about 80 per cent of our businesses are losing money, we don’t have to increase prices for consumers unnecessarily.”
As for how much this may benefit customers, Guignard admits savings won’t likely be passed on to patrons.
“This is not something the customer is necessarily going to notice, but 15 per cent of our industry is already closed. Another ten per cent are closed indefinitely and they don’t know when they’re going to re-open. That remaining group, about 80 per cent, are slipping deeper into debt, so your favourite neighbourhood pub is going to be there for you after the pandemic.”
He adds ABLE BC’s 8,800 members may now add more items to the menu previously considered too expensive, if not available at the wholesale price.
