The Tennessean
March 9, 2010

Our View

Whether it is because of the economy or simply a nod to public sentiment, grocery stores may soon have the option to sell wine in Tennessee.

In many states, this would not be big news. In fact, 33 states already allow wine sales in retail food stores. But in Tennessee, owners of wine and spirits stores, beverage wholesalers and some churches have fought for years to keep wine where it is. In exchange for that lack of competition, liquor stores have been largely content not to push for late-night or Sunday sales.

Wine and liquor retailers and wholesalers have had it their way for years — but it's not the customers' way. And while there are many far more pressing issues for the legislature to spend its time on, Tennessee's current law is anti-competitive and should be changed.

A bill sponsored by Rep. David Shepard, D-Dickson, and Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, would allow local jurisdictions to hold a public referendum on whether to allow wine sales in food stores and set up a separate license for wine sales in those stores. It's apparent that many voters would approve. An MTSU poll conducted last year found that 62 percent of Tennesseans support sales of wine in grocery stores in areas that already allow sales of alcoholic beverages. Twenty-six percent were opposed.

Grocers deserve the same opportunity to qualify to sell wine as do specialty stores. Typically, the free market is the rule, with exceptions made for special circumstances. Perhaps it was the case many years ago that Tennessee food stores were ill-equipped to sell wine responsibly. But times change. Food stores that sell beer have to meet permit regulations; they should be allowed to do the same for wine, a product that most customers shop for in accordance with the food they purchase.

Consumers want convenience; it is good for business. And the reasons liquor store owners offer against it simply do not overcome that argument.

They suggest that only their employees are properly trained to sell a controlled substance. Grocery workers will let minors and intoxicated individuals buy wine, they say. Yet grocery employees already must be trained to screen purchasers of beer and cigarettes. Some may commit licensing violations — but so do some liquor stores. They are not immune from making mistakes. That is what the licensing process is for.

Liquor stores also say that teen drinking and drunken driving will increase — a strange argument for purveyors of alcoholic beverages to make. The DUI argument in particular does not hold up. A look at federal crime statistics shows that DUI arrests have been lower in 21 of the 33 states that allow wine in food stores than they are in Tennessee.

The liquor-store owners do have a point when they say that the state Alcoholic Beverage Commission lacks enough inspectors to supervise the many new wine outlets that will emerge. There already are not enough to inspect existing liquor license holders, and the legislature should address that.

Ultimately, allowing food stores that have met licensing requirements to sell wine makes sense for consumers. It's time that the legislature moves to end an unfair business practice.

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