Jean Cronin, Executive Director, CT Package Stores Association
By Jean Cronin, Executive Director, CT Package Stores Association
Over the past few years, the number of grocery beer permits has continued to increase across the state. As it currently stands, there are 866 grocery beer permits in Connecticut. Compare this number to the 1,305 package store permits currently active.
Some package store owners and residents have started to notice that beer is being sold in some gas stations across the state. For quite a few years, there have been legislative proposals to allow gas stations the ability to sell beer. There have also been numerous proposed bills to allow large box stores the ability to sell beer. Each time these proposals were introduced, the General Assembly decided not to support them to become law. However, there are at least 29 locations in the state that have gas pumps located on the same property where beer is sold inside in the convenience store. These convenience stores have grocery beer permits.
The grocery beer permit is quite different from a package store permit. The Grocery Beer permit has no population limit like the package store permit has of 2,500 residents per permit. The qualifications for a Grocery Beer permit is to have at least 50% of their gross sales be “groceries” that are defined in state statute. CPSA is asking the General Assembly for help to slow the growth of these grocery beer permits, including the allowance of gas stations to sell beer, which came from the interpretation of a different statute.
As we sit here in 2026, the sales of alcohol beverages have declined significantly across the state and the country. The younger generation looks to other products and lifestyles that do not include the consumption of alcohol. Weight loss drugs and cannabis products have also contributed to the decline in alcohol sales. Increasing the number of permitted locations will not increase the demand for their products. It will just increase the workload for liquor inspectors and law enforcement. We need to limit the number of permits accordingly.
Additional issues relating to the industry under the gold dome also include conversations regarding nips and the litter of the product on Connecticut roadways. Environmental activists have called for two different options that they believe will reduce the waste, both are problematic to the industry. The first proposal is to call for an outright ban on all liquor containers that are under 50 milliliters. The belief here is that if the product is no longer sold in the state, then it will not be littered in the state.
The problem with this approach is that the manufacturers will simply make a slightly larger container and still sell this in the state. The 100-milliliter container and 50-milliliter container also look very similar and would most likely take over the market if a 50 milliliter ban was passed. The second proposal would add all nip containers at 50 milliliters and below to the bottle bill and be eligible for redemption.
This proposal would be catastrophic to stores and wholesalers. The current bottle bill is seeing a significant amount of cross border fraud from our surrounding states. This cross border fraud of containers that did not have a .10 cent deposit paid on them at the point of purchase, is coming into Connecticut from states that have existing bottle bills. If Connecticut were to include nips into the bottle bill, this state would become a target for every single state in the region where nips waste could be turned into a profit if you come here.
In addition to the problems with the two listed proposals above, the nickel per nip program that was an initiative from the industry to reduce the waste, would be upended. The nickel environmental fee on each nip has been a success in raising millions for clean up in the state while allowing municipalities the freedom to spend that money for clean with how they see fit.
While each Legislative session comes with its own unique bills and proposals, the possible bills for this session present a very concerning approach to a problem that has already been solved in terms of nip liter. The grocery beer debate will continue in the General Assembly with the hopes of tightening the permit to stop the allowance of gas stations getting the ability to sell beer.
Jean Cronin is the President of Hughes & Cronin Public Affairs Strategies, where she is responsible for developing and implementing legislative initiatives for the firm’s clients, and directing a variety of trade and professional associations managed by the firm. Cronin joined the firm in 1986 after serving as a communications strategist for the Connecticut Senate Majority Office, where she became well-versed in the politics and insight of the State Capitol. She is the Executive Director of the Connecticut Package Stores Association, following the passing of longtime director, Carroll J. Hughes.
