Liquor prices soar despite Liberal promises, claims new report
Posted May 2, 2017 8:22 am.
Last Updated June 15, 2017 4:14 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Liquor prices in BC have soared because of government reforms in 2015, despite Liberal promises to the contrary, according to a new report. Two years ago the province introduced a host of highly publicized liquor reforms two year ago, including a new wholesale pricing model for public and private liquor stores.
And the organization representing private liquor stores in BC is weighing in. It claims you’re paying at least 10 per cent more, depending on what you pick up at the store.
NDP Critic David Eby claims people are paying just over 10.5 per cent for spirits, more than 11 per cent for wine and 13.3 per cent for beer, all which he claims is a result of those changes.
Jeff Guignard is the president of the Alliance of Beverage Licencees of BC and he agrees you are paying more today but he says consumers adapt. “What ends up happening is customers maybe change their buying habits. Everyone’s on a budget, right? So, if you come in and you used to buy some product that cost you $20, that product might be out of your price range so we’re having to sell you something that’s slightly lesser quality that you can meet.”
He admits prices have definitely gone up. “As the cost of those products have gone up, our cost of purchase has gone up to maintain profitability and to keep the lights on, we have to pass them off to consumers. The net effect has been slightly higher prices across the board, I would say.”
Eby has referred to the new laws as “hidden taxes.” Two years ago, Eby was accused of fearmongering after he speculated the changes to the laws would lead to higher prices.
Liberal Leader Christy Clark is laughing off this report. “The NDP reports are probably as reliable as their platform. We have seen a massive — I think a 400 per cent growth — in the craft beer industry in British Columbia. That’s created thousands of jobs in our province. We’ve seen a huge expansion in the number of wineries in our province.” She insists her government’s changes have not driven the price hikes.
