Minor wine and beer companies operate with thin profit margins and cannot afford the extra costs of complying with Irish rules on the one hand while maintaining their foothold in the European industry on the other, writes Emil Panzaru The European Commission’s passive reaction to upcoming Irish alcohol labels...

Avertissements sanitaires obligatoires sur l’alcool : les nouvelles règles de l’Irlande ne sont qu’un début. Le gouvernement irlandais avance dans son projet d’apposer des étiquettes d’avertissement sanitaire obligatoires sur les boissons alcoolisées telles que le vin et la bière. Ce mois-ci, la période d’objection de la Commission européenne concernant les...

Stigmatizing moderate, low-risk drinking isn’t a viable public health strategy Since the Centre for Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) released its new alcohol guidelines in August, headline after headline has repeated its claim that anything more than two drinks per week is seriously bad for your health. The shifting of the goalposts...

European Union member states are busy regulating alcohol use and limiting consumer choice even though historically, it has shown that bans and limitations on use have had the opposite effect as had been intended. There are two recent examples of strict alcohol regulations, both coming from countries where alcohol...

Dramatic shift in alcohol consumption guidelines could undermine the ultimate goal of harm reduction More than 100 years ago temperance organizations promoting total abstention from alcohol and ultimately prohibition were a force to be reckoned with in Canada. Luckily for Canadians, sanity ultimately won out and alcohol was legalized...

Various studies over the past two years have shown that there was a worldwide increase in alcohol consumption during the pandemic because many people were worried and stressed as they self-isolated due to COVID-19. But now, it appears there is a new trend happening as sales statistics show there...

Non-alcoholic beer has been subject to federal excise taxes despite not containing virtually any alcohol at all.  Our North American Affairs Manager, David Clement pointed out several problems with this tax and was invited to meet with the Ministry of Finance to explain the arguments against the tax. For...

Voilà l’alcool de nouveau attaqué pour ses effets sur la santé. Cette fois-ci par une commission du Parlement européen, qui le lie à un grand nombre de cancers. Les propositions pour limiter les choix des consommateurs se multiplient en réponse… Au sein de la « Commission pour battre le...

Beer is one of those products that gets heavily taxed however should that mean the tax should be equal between alcoholic and dealcoholized beer? Listen to the interview here

Staaten stehen in einer gewissen Konkurrenz zueinander. Zwar ist der Handel kein Nullsummenspiel und Handelskriege, Zöller und andere Beschränkungen daher kontraproduktiv. Dennoch lässt sich nicht leugnen, dass verschiedene Regulierungsmöglichkeiten zu besseren, oder schlechteren Ergebnissen führen. So ist derjenige Staat, der seinen Bürgern und Unternehmen weniger Steuern aufbürdet tendenziell wettbewerbsfähiger,...

Before the pandemic, while at a Blue Jays game, my head turned when a patron at the bar ordered a non-alcoholic beer. At first, I thought this might just be a new hipster fad, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Non-alcoholic beer isn’t only for designated drivers or...

Across the board, we should expect better from Ottawa, and the tax on non-alcoholic beer is yet another example of where they’ve gotten it wrong. Sin-taxes, across all sectors, are fairly excessive in Canada. At almost every turn the government sinks its tax teeth into the process of you...

Rethinking the LCBO could save taxpayers a tremendous amount of money Ontario is teetering on the edge of a fiscal cliff. Under its previous Liberal government, the province became the most indebted sub-sovereign unit in the world. Unfortunately, poor policy-making and the COVID-19 pandemic have only worsened its situation. Ontario’s debt...

The Beer Store is an institution built on a toxic mix of prohibition and cronyism News broke this month that The Beer Store (TBS), Ontario’s monopoly beer-seller, is losing money and lots of it. According to its annual financial statement, TBS operated at a $50.7 million loss in 2020....

Ontario’s hard-hit hospitality industry is urging the province to give licensed bars and restaurants a reduced price on alcohol. A new change.org petition started by David Ouellette, beverage director at the highly anticipated Vela (by Amanda Bradley of Alo and Robin Goodfellow of Bar Raval), opening this spring, asks for an...

With Illinois lawmakers back to work in a lame-duck session, one of the issues at the top of their to-do list is getting Illinois’ act together when it comes to home delivery of beer, wine and spirits. According to a piece at Patch.com, the Illinois House Executive Committee forwarded a...

Fitch Solutions expects South Africa’s alcohol industry to contract more than 5% following months on the ban on the sale of alcohol during COVID-19 lockdown regulations. Fitch said its revised alcoholic drinks consumption forecast for 2020 takes into account the impact of COVID-19 measures on both the supply and...

Podcast by The History Society Prohibition in the United States was dubbed the “Noble Experiment”. For 13  long, dry, and dreary years, the government aimed to keep alcohol out of the hands of its citizens, creating a litany of unintended consequences that continue to have an impact today. In this...

SA should learn from Australian tobacco policy failures, and stick to education rather than over-regulation It is now beyond clear that SA’s continued ban on tobacco-related products has been a total disaster in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. The government loses R35m in tax revenue every day, and...

Al Capone is one of the most infamous criminals in history. Countless books and movies have elevated his name to a level that even during his lifetime, few imagined possible. His crime-syndicate, the “Chicago Outfit” fought bloody gang wars over the production and supply of illegal alcohol. The United...

The Consumer Choice Center endorses a safe and timely return to business for areas with a lower risk for coronavirus outbreak Raleigh, N.C. – Yesterday, the NC State Senate passed HB 536, the bill intended to safely re-open bars and restaurants in accordance with the guidelines set by both...

MOST STATES DON’T ALLOW CONSUMERS TO PURCHASE ALCOHOL ONLINE FOR DELIVERY. Around the country, law against alcohol delivery are strict, which presents an interesting situation given the mass social isolation from the COVID-19 outbreak.  According to Consumer Choice Center, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Nebraska, and New Hampshire are the only...

While the world is battling the Coronavirus crisis, the European Alcohol Policy Alliance (EUROCARE) is facing a different goliath: alcohol sponsorship… in sports? A head-scratcher of sorts, especially given that the sports industry will fall on hard times this year if COVID-19 drags on. With cancelled events and games,...

COVID-19 has exposed many holes in America’s state alcohol laws. Maryland just suspended its shortsighted craft beer carryout purchase limits because it only legally allowed one case per customer. The likes of Colorado, California and even Texas are allowing bars and restaurants now to sell alcohol to-go, which is not normally...

Prince Edward Island made an international stir on Thursday by closing its liquor and cannabis stores on the grounds they were not providing essential services and therefore should be shuttered in the face of the pandemic. That may well have been the right decision. But it likely caused millions...

When I was in the 7th form, our biology teacher showed us a smoker’s lung model followed by a brief explanation of the negative effects of smoking. But the model of the damaged lungs itself was enough to educate me, a 13-year-old, about the health consequences I would have...

N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control stores remain open throughout the state, although many staff members within the ABC system are working from home. The stores have established new protocols to minimize direct contact between the public and staff working on site, Jeff Strickland, ABC spokesman, said in an email. “Our...

This week, millions of Americans will be following the advice of their public health agencies and staying home to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus. Where possible, many will have food and drinks delivered to help support the thousands of restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores that have...

CONTACT: Yaël Ossowski Deputy Director @YaelOss yael@consumerchoicecenter.org Washington, D.C. – In a 7-2 decision handed down yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Tennesse law that prohibits new state residents from obtaining liquor licenses. The law required a two-year residency in the state before applicants could apply for...

CONTACT:Yaël OssowskiDeputy Director@YaelOssyael@consumerchoicecenter.org Last Call should be extended for all consumers, not just politicians Charlotte, NC – Yesterday it was reported that North Carolina Republicans have introduced a provision that would allow bars, clubs, and restaurants to stay open until 4 AM during the 2020 Republican National Convention. Consumer Choice Center Deputy...

Consumer Choice Center Deputy Director Yaël Ossowski applauded the move but said more needs to be done for true alcohol reform in North Carolina. “This new law will allow breweries to expand and ship more product across the state, giving North Carolina consumers greater access to their favorite craft...

David Clement, Toronto-based North American Affairs Manager of the Consumer Choice Center (CCC), said that the announcement is a step in the right direction. “The move helps underserved regions, while maxing out the amount of grocery stores allowed under the Master Framework Agreement (MFA). It is positive to see...

The warm months are delivering some great news when it comes to increased consumer choice and modernized alcohol policy across North America. ONTARIO The first success story comes from the Canadian province of Ontario, where Premier Doug Ford has announced the end of the province’s exclusive contract with The...

The latest move by the Ford government is being met with praise by the Consumer’s Choice Centre. Northern American Affairs Manager David Clement said this agreement signals the provincial government is going to take steps to increase consumer access and choice. “This is a positive policy from our perspective,”...

David Clement, of the Consumer Choice Center, praised the expansion announced Thursday, saying consumers across the province would appreciate more access to alcoholic drinks over the summer months.

Opinion: We should blame politicians who set up and maintained a system that has both inconvenienced and overcharged consumers for nearly a century. A lot has changed in the last 92 years, but Ontario’s alcohol policy is one thing that has remained largely the same. Following the repeal of...

When it comes to alcohol policy, North Carolina is more an outlier than exemplar. Though ours is among 17 states with an alcohol control system, where the state retains monopoly control of part of the alcohol trade, it stands out as one of the most restrictive. Private liquor stores are banned, prices are fixed, and […]

Toronto, ON —On February 1st, Ontario’s public consultation on alcohol policy officially closed. The Ford Government sought out feedback on how Ontario could modernize its alcohol market. Unfortunately, some entities, like The Beer Store, have actively pushed back against increased consumer access. The Beer Store’s President Ted Moroz recently argued that if the province allows for beer […]

Doug Ford has built his brand on putting the people, who are ultimately consumers, first. Refining Ontario’s alcohol market was a priority for Doug Ford on the campaign trail. He proudly proclaimed that convenience stores provincewide should be able to sell beer and wine. Since taking office, he’s reduced minimum pricing on beer, cancelled an […]

This Wednesday was a special day. In the Netherlands, Dutch children celebrated the coming of Sinterklaas (along with his controversial helper Zwarte Piet). Walt Disney would have celebrated his 117th birthday. It was also world soil day, apparently. But the 5th of December 2018 also marked a particularly special anniversary: the end of prohibition in the United States. Eighty-five years ago, […]

THE SAULT STAR: The move for the extended hours is welcomed by the Consumer Choice Centre. David Clement, North American Affairs manager for Consumer Choice Centres said “There is still a lot that needs to be done to modernize Ontario’s alcohol regulations. As we know from polling data, Ontario residents want increased access and for the […]

BAY TODAY: David Clement, Toronto-based North American Affairs Manager of the Consumer Choice Center said: “Expanded retail hours for alcohol sales definitely benefits consumers. Expanding retail hours is a good first step, but there is still a lot that needs to be done to modernize Ontario’s alcohol regulations. As we know from polling data, Ontario residents want increased […]

Criticising the Welsh government’s decision to introduce minimum unit pricing for alcohol, Bill Wirtz argues it is possible to curb consumer drinking through education rather than the heavy hand of the law. There should, however, be no ambiguity about one point: the consumption of alcohol does bring health risks that all consumers should be aware […]

SHEmazing: Bill Wirtz, Policy Analyst for the Consumer Choice Center has said that the act will have little impact on public health and an impact on the pockets of the most financially vulnerable. ‘The evidence in favour of minimum alcohol pricing is simply not here. In a 2013 review of 19 studies, only two found […]

FEE: Bans on plastic straws, soda taxes, bans on diesel cars, the crackdown on smoking, restrictions on alcohol consumption: the list of restrictions on people’s personal freedoms is steadily increasing. But why is the Nanny State so popular?

By Heather Bone, Research Fellow, Consumer Choice Center Nearly every time the prospect of privatizing alcohol sales in Ontario is debated, there is a moral panic. If alcohol sales are privatized, the argument goes, alcohol will be more easily accessible, and there will be an increase in alcohol-related crime. In this research brief, I investigate […]

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: Due to strict N.C. alcohol laws, online merchants such as Amazon can’t stock your favorite wines, craft beers or liquors unless they follow a very strict line of regulations. Read more

TIMES OF LONDON: Consumer Choice Center’s Bill Wirtz is published in the London Times: “We need to recognise that consumers have the right to make choices. This implies that they make the choice to drink because they are allowed to enjoy themselves. Or at least while they are still allowed.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Luca Bertoletti European Affairs Manager Consumer Choice Center luca@consumerchoicecenter.org 2. March 2018 EU tariffs on blue jeans and bourbon would harm consumers Brussels, BE – On Friday, European Union Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker suggested to German media that the EU could draw up tariffs on American products such as Kentucky Bourbon, Harley Davidson motorcycles, […]

DIE WELT: Eine Regulierung der Social-Media-Aktivitäten meint es vielleicht gut. Doch frühere Erfahrungen mit der Prohibition zeigen die Gefahr dann entstehender Grauzonen auf. Es gibt nur einen richtigen Weg. Bill Wirtz von Consumer Choice Center.