HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Pennsylvanians moved closer today to being allowed to buy beer in six-packs at more places, reported The Morning Call.
But a stiff battle remains in convincing legislators to change the law, because both lobbyists for beer distributors and those representing bars and restaurants oppose parts of the bill, said the report.
The state's Senate Law & Justice Committee has amendedand approveda House bill to allow beer distributors to sell up to three six-packs at a time and, starting in September 2008, to sell 18[image-nocss] -packs. Right now, they can only sell cases of 24 or 30.
The bill would also allow licensed restaurants and taverns to sell up to three six-packs at a timecurrently they are limited to two six-packs.
The Malt Beverage Distributors' Association (MBDA) of Pennsylvania opposes the bill because it would allow large chains, such as Sheetz or Wegmans, to sell beer if they have a license. "Effectively, you're putting the beer distributors out of business," MBDA spokesperson Mary Lou Hogan told the newspaper. "There's no way a distributor can compete against the likes of a Sheetz or Wegmans."
Unlike convenience stores and grocery stores, beer distributors are limited to selling just beer, soda and snacks. Additionally, a distributor is only allowed one license, she said, while a chain can get a license for each retail location.
As tracked by CSP Daily News over the past year or so, Sheetz Inc. has been trying to sell packaged beer in its prototype convenience restaurant in its home base of Altoona, Pa.
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