New bill allows ready-to-drink cocktails to be sold in Pennsylvania liquor stores

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — A new bill has been passed allowing ready-to-drink cocktails to be sold at certain retailers.

Senate Bill 688, a new bill passed by the Pennsylvania House Liquor Control Committee, allows low alcohol-by-volume (ABV) spirits ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs) to be sold from certain retail outlets that already sell beer and wine products with equal or lower alcohol contents.

The bill is now under consideration by the full House.

“Allowing adult consumers to purchase their favorite spirits ready-to-drink cocktails where they already buy beer and wine just makes sense,” said Andy Deloney, the senior vice president of state government relations at the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. “These products contain the same amount of alcohol as products already being sold in grocery and convenience stores, so consumers shouldn’t have to make an extra trip to purchase them. We urge the House to pass SB 688 in support of Pennsylvania consumers and businesses.”

According to a survey, consumers support greater access to these products, including in grocery and convenience stores, with 86% agreeing that spirits RTDs should be sold wherever beer and wine can be purchased. Despite having identical alcohol content as beer and wine-based RTDs, spirits RTDs are at a more than 10,000 store disadvantage in the Commonwealth.