New Yorkers Want Wine in Supermarkets, No Soda Tax

They need to allow wine (and liquor!) sales in supermarkets. Prohibiting it is downright un-American.

Don't whole foods and trader joes and places like that already sell wine and stuff?

I'm really asking. I've only been in either of those places a few times

No one asked me if I wanted my tampons taxed, and those are much more of a necessity than soda. Believe me, I love my Coke Zero, but I don't need it. Tax soda! If you don't want to pay the tax, don't drink it.

yep, we definitely need a soda tax to pay for our local politicians slush funds and $177 bagels.

The poll also found that voters (mostly upstate Republicans)

An asteroid could hit NYC tomorrow, and JDS would blame the Republicans somehow.

JDS, Sorry, but this has nothing to do with "Puritans and temperance scolds". Nothing.

The opponents are the liquor stores and particularly those that specialize in wines, many of whom will go out of business since supermarkets can undersell them.

With the mom&pop wine stores gone, the large supermarkets would have a monopoly on wine sales and prices, which would then likely go up.

Also, if the wine stores lose their local franchise, it would be more difficult for oenophiles to get rare and select wines.

That would be a shame. Man cannot live on TwoBuck Chuck alone.

Not entirely. Part of it is protectionism but the liquor store owners also oppose this because the law has prevented them, for the last however many years, from opening more than one location. The government has set up a system which has forced liquor stores to have a certain kind of business model for decades. Now, the supermarkets just come in and can suddenly redefine the entire system, have multiple locations, and do whatever they want.

The liquor store owners have a legit complaint. They've been forced to remain small for decades. They weren't able to build an entire infrastructure of stores and then redefine the law to suit themselves because they could line enough pockets.

We are all more or less in agreement.

My initial comment was that it had NOTHING to do with Puritanism or temperance scolds, as Gothamist claimed.

Agreeing with inoyourider...I'm living in a country where wine's around in the supermarkets, and believe me, there are plenty of distributors still up and kicking. The supermarket will usually sell the major brands and the gut-rot, but it's more for convenience than price, really. The wine shops will usually have better offers on a wider choice, but when all the shops here close at 8, it's nice to have the option at 7:50 to get bread, milk and wine instead of choosing.

When a large store completes in a neighborhood with a small store, small stores selling the same product often go out of business. It happens constantly in NY. Check out Whole Foods, for example.

With decreased competition, those that survive can't regulate the price and, as you state, selection also suffers.

Not every small store goes out of business, but some do.

Why do you think this law has remained on the books since the 1930s? Because of Puritanism or temperance scolds, or because of opposition from small stores?

Are you aware that when a new liquor store opens in a neighborhood in NYC, it is commonplace for their future compettiion to oppose the granting of the license?

Repeat: commonplace.

Not true.

You should visit somewhere that allows wine sales in the grocery stores so you know what you're talking about.

Definitely. In other states, are there fewer wine and liquor stores? Eh, maybe. But they definitely still exist. It's not like people in other states go to the local Wal-Mart to buy fine wine or exotic liquors.

To me, it's the opposite. Wine store owners enjoy their current monopoly and don't want to give it up.

A soda tax is about the most regressive thing in the world. Why not also slap a 40 percent tax on every store-brand can of vegetables that the organic food police don't deem healthy enough.

most sodas aren't even that good for you...

Uh, most sodas are actively bad for you.

While they're at it can they get rid of the five cent deposit on soda bottles and cans?

Yes, why not?

A lot of states sell liquor in grocery stores too.

And why shouldn't they (or we)?

Also, why do we have blue laws?

So you think downstate democrats are all for a soda tax? This site has an awesome talent for shoe-horning gratuitous political jabs and non-sequiturs into just about any story.

Just like you have a talent for repeating the same stupid shit about liberals over and over again?

"This site has an awesome talent for shoe-horning gratuitous political jabs and non-sequiturs into just about any story."

Especially when they don't have an understanding of the issue being discussed.

so poor people want wine and rich people want soda? who knew?

It doesn't say the soda tax is opposed mostly by upstate Republicans. It says:

“Voters are opposed to the Governor’s proposed tax on soda and other sugared beverages by a margin of 59 percent to 38 percent,” Greenberg said. “While Democrats and New York City voters are closely divided on this issue, it is overwhelmingly opposed by Republican, independents, downstate suburbanites and upstaters.”

I wish the poll provided the raw data behind the statement, because the narrative doesn't seem to fit. It says overall voters are divided 59-38. Democrats and NYC voters are described as "closely divided," which suggests around 50-50. If Republicans, independents, downstate suburbanites and upstaters are "overwhelmingly opposed", either the sample from those groups are small or "overwhelming" means something like 70-30.

Supermarket wine? Yes, please! It would really complement my Duane Reade sushi.

the wine would most likely be branded "mcdonalds."