Consumers Support Wholesale Alcohol Pricing For Ontario Restaurants

Toronto, ON: The hospitality industry in Ontario is calling on the province to allow for licensed restaurants and bars to have access to wholesale alcohol pricing. As it currently stands, restaurants and bars in Ontario are required to purchase alcohol through the LCBO, at the same prices that consumers pay. As a result, restaurants add their margin on top of the retail price, resulting in poor pricing for Ontario consumers purchasing alcohol at restaurants, bars and clubs.

David Clement, Toronto based North American Affairs Manager for the Consumer Choice Center responds: "Consumers across Ontario would benefit immensely if the province were to allow restaurants to purchase alcohol at wholesale rates. Consumers want, and need, more competitive pricing at restaurants for beer, wine, and spirits, and this change would do exactly that."

"Ideally restaurants would be able to order beverage alcohol directly from producers without having to deal with the LCBO as the middleman. All the LCBO's involvement does is ensure artificially high prices for consumers," said Clement

"Lowering the markup charged through the LCBO would be a great step forward for modernizing Ontario's outdated, and archaic, alcohol system. Allowing for wholesale pricing would also be in line with the province's other consumer friendly policies on alcohol reform, such as expanded retail hours, alcohol delivery from restaurants, and the province's pledge to eventually allow alcohol sales in convenience stores," said Clement