The SLA issued Advisory 2022-27 concerning the inventory standards for grocery stores with liquor licenses to sell beer and cider.
The first important point is that to qualify as a grocery store, the business must offer at least 10 different items that qualify for SNAP benefits (sometimes referred to as food stamps).
Fifty percent (50%) of the floor space must have customer commodities, half of which must be food for humans or household pets. Alcoholic beverages and carbonated beverages are not included when calculating the net 25% food requirement. The remaining 25% may be household items such as paper products and personal hygiene items.
The Advisory also explains that businesses having less than 5,000 square feet can exclude up to 10% of their floor space (up to 500 square feet) used for non-retail purposes (offices, rest rooms, storage, break rooms, etc.).
These standards will be applied to existing licenses as well. The Advisory warns that existing licensees not meeting these standards can be subject to disciplinary action with fines as high as $10,000.
If you wonder how this Advisory might affect you, contact Tracy Jong and her team at Evans Fox. Put our years of experience and our current understanding of the ever-changing rules and policies of the SLA to work for your business.