Pennsylvania grocery stores are gearing up to introduce ready-to-drink cocktails to their shelves.
Last week, Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvaniasigned a bill amending the state’s Liquor Code to allow restaurants and grocery stores to sell ready-to-drink cocktails.
The new law, effective mid-September, defines ready-to-drink cocktails as pre-mixed drinks containing 16 ounces or less of liquor with an alcohol content not exceeding 12.5%. It also restricts the sale of canned cocktails after 11 p.m.
Previously, only state-owned liquor and wine stores were permitted to sell canned cocktails in Pennsylvania.
“Since the base alcohol is liquor, Pennsylvania consumers can only buy [ready-to-drink cocktails] at our State Stores. Unfortunately, only limited products are currently available, accounting for less than 2% of shelf space in stores,” State Sen. Mike Regan, the bill’s sponsor, wrote in a memo last year. “While these products continue to expand, they are flowing into neighboring states while Pennsylvania’s offerings remain limited.”
The enactment of this law coincides with the rise in popularity of canned cocktails. With nearly 27% growth in 2023 and $2.8 billion in sales, ready-to-drink canned cocktails are the fastest-growing segment within the spirits category, as reported by the <