August 2, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

From the Office of John Suchy

Director, Liquor Control Division

Guidance Statement for Wholesalers and Liquor Retailers

This statement is a reminder that Connecticut wholesalers may perform certain services for their retail off-premises customers, such as grocery stores and package stores.  These services are limited to the wholesaler’s own products; no wholesaler may perform any service with respect to a product provided by another wholesaler, even if the product is dually distributed.  Such services must be offered equally to all retail off-premises customers of the wholesaler.

Connecticut wholesalers may provide stocking assistance to retail off-premises permittees as follows:

• The one-time stocking of display shelves in the sales area at a newly licensed premise;
• The one-time stocking of the display shelves in the sales area at any premise that had a recent change in control or ownership; and
• The one-time stocking of the display shelves in the sales area at any premise that is newly opened pursuant to a Department-approved removal request.

Connecticut wholesalers may provide additional product assistance to their retail off-premises customers, specifically grocery stores and package stores, as follows:

• The moving of perishable products from storage to sale displays, shelves, or coolers within a retail premises’ sales floor in order to protect the quality of the products;
• The rotation of perishable products on the sales shelves or coolers in order to protect the quality of the products, specifically the rotation of stock from the rear of the shelf to the front of the shelf (no stocking allowed; must only rotate what is on the shelf);
• The inspection and removal of all perishable products from sales shelves or coolers in order to preserve the quality of the products, provided that the wholesaler gives comparable consideration to the permittee in the form of credit or replacement products;
• The removal of any product that cannot be sold due to the age or condition of the product, container, or packaging, provided that the wholesaler gives comparable consideration to the permittee in the form of credit or replacement products;
• The setting-up, building, and maintenance of displays and point-of-sale advertisements;
• The affixing of prices, as established by the retailer, on point-of-sale material;
• The maintenance of floor displays by adding cases, whether cut or uncut; and
• The maintenance of cold boxes and display refrigerators by adding single bottles of wine and spirits, cordials, beer, or cider.

Connecticut wholesalers may not provide the following services:

The stocking of shelves in a store where the existing permittee is solely expanding the size of the store;

• The stocking of any warm or cold beer on a shelf for immediate sale to a consumer;
• The stocking of extra or overflow shelves that are not easily accessible without ladders or stepladders or something similar, even if such shelves are located on the sales floor (e.g., warehouse shelving located above the customer display shelving);
• The cleaning or maintenance of shelves while rotating product or maintaining displays; or
• The cleaning or maintenance of any other portion of the store or storage area of the premise.

If you have any questions on any liquor-related matter, please call (860) 713-6210 and speak with an agent on duty. Reach by email at dcp.liquorcontrol@ct.gov.

John J. Suchy, Director of the Liquor Control Division

The Department of Consumer Protection, through the State Liquor Control Commission, oversees all sales of liquor in the State of Connecticut.  450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 901, Hartford, CT, 06103. Visit the  Liquor Control Division website www.ct.gov/dcp