2024 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 30 - Intoxicating Liquors
Chapter 545 - Liquor Control Act
Section 30-20. - Package store permit. Grocery store beer permit.

(a) For the purposes of this section, “grocery store” (1) means any store that (A) is commonly known as a delicatessen, food store, grocery store or supermarket, and (B) is primarily engaged in the retail sale of various canned goods and dry goods such as coffee, flour, spices, sugar and tea, whether packaged or in bulk, regardless of whether such store sells fresh fruits and vegetables or fresh, prepared or smoked fish, meat and poultry, and (2) does not include any store that is primarily engaged in the retail sale of bakery products, candy, nuts and confectioneries, dairy products, eggs and poultry, fruits and vegetables or seafood.

(b) (1) A package store permit shall allow the retail sale of alcoholic liquor in sealed bottles or containers not to be consumed on the permit premises. The holder of a package store permit may, in accordance with regulations adopted by the Department of Consumer Protection pursuant to the provisions of chapter 54, (A) offer free samples of alcoholic liquor for tasting on the permit premises, (B) conduct fee-based wine or spirits education and tasting classes and demonstrations, and (C) conduct tastings or demonstrations provided by a permittee or backer of the package store for a nominal charge to charitable nonprofit organizations. Any offering, tasting, wine or spirits education and tasting class or demonstration held on permit premises shall be conducted only during the hours the package store may sell alcoholic liquor under section 30-91. No tasting of wine on the permit premises shall be offered from more than ten uncorked bottles at any one time. No holder, backer or permittee shall offer or provide to any customer (i) more than one-half ounce of any single spirit for sampling or tasting per day, or (ii) a total of more than two ounces of spirits for sampling or tasting per day. No tasting shall be provided below cost.

(2) No store operating under a package store permit shall sell any commodity other than alcoholic liquor except, notwithstanding any other provision of law, such store may sell (A) cigarettes and cigars, (B) publications, (C) bar utensils, including, but not limited to, corkscrews, beverage strainers, stirrers or other similar items used to consume, or related to the consumption of, alcoholic liquor, (D) gift packages of alcoholic liquor shipped into the state by a manufacturer or out-of-state shipper, which gift packages may include nonalcoholic items, other than food or tobacco products, if the dollar value of the nonalcoholic items in such gift package does not exceed the dollar value of the alcoholic items in such gift package, (E) complementary fresh fruits used in the preparation of mixed alcoholic beverages, (F) cheese, crackers or both, (G) olives, (H) nonalcoholic beverages, (I) concentrates used in the preparation of mixed alcoholic beverages, (J) beer and wine-making kits and products related to such kits, (K) ice in any form, (L) articles of clothing imprinted with advertising related to the alcoholic liquor industry, (M) gift baskets or other containers of alcoholic liquor, (N) multiple packages of alcoholic liquors, provided in all such cases the minimum retail selling price for such alcoholic liquor shall apply, (O) lottery tickets authorized by the Department of Consumer Protection, if licensed as an agent to sell such tickets by the department, (P) devices and related accessories designed primarily for accessing and extracting a beverage containing alcohol from prepackaged containers, including, but not limited to, pods, pouches or similar containers, but excluding devices, including, but not limited to, household blenders, that are not designed primarily for such purposes, (Q) alcohol-infused confections containing not more than one-half of one per cent of alcohol by weight and which the commissioner has approved for sale under section 21a-101, (R) gift baskets containing only containers of alcoholic liquor and commodities authorized for sale under subparagraphs (A) to (Q), inclusive, of this subdivision, (S) infused beverages, as defined in section 21a-425, provided (i) the package store permittee (I) paid to the department the annual fee for an infused beverage endorsement pursuant to this subdivision, and (II) purchased such infused beverages from the holder of a wholesaler permit or a wholesaler permit for beer issued under section 30-17, and (ii) such sales are made in accordance with the provisions of section 21a-425b, and (T) legacy infused beverages, as defined in section 21a-425d, provided all such sales shall be made (i) during the period beginning on July 1, 2024, and ending September 30, 2024, and (ii) in accordance with (I) a waiver issued pursuant to section 21a-425d, and (II) the requirements set forth in section 21a-425d. A package store permit shall also allow the taking and transmitting of orders for delivery of such merchandise in other states. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a package store permit shall allow the participation in any lottery ticket promotion or giveaway sponsored by the department. The annual fee for a package store permit shall be five hundred thirty-five dollars. The annual fee for an infused beverage endorsement to a package store permit shall be five hundred dollars, and shall be deposited by the department in the consumer protection enforcement account established in section 21a-8a.

(c) A grocery store beer permit may be granted to any grocery store and shall allow the retail sale of beer in standard size containers not to be consumed on the permit premises. The holder of a grocery store beer permit shall post, in a prominent location adjacent to the beer display, the retail price for each brand of beer and such retail price shall include all applicable federal and state taxes, including, but not limited to, the applicable state sales taxes. The annual fee for a grocery store beer permit shall be one hundred seventy dollars, or, for a grocery store that has annual sales of food and grocery items of at least two million dollars, one thousand five hundred dollars.

(d) The holder of a package store permit or a grocery store beer permit issued under this section may allow curbside pick-up of previously purchased alcoholic liquor by (1) the consumer who purchased such alcoholic liquor, or (2) the holder of an in-state transporter's permit issued under section 30-19f or such holder's agent. Such curbside pick-up shall be limited to the space immediately adjacent to, or in a parking lot abutting, the permit premises. The holder of such package store permit or grocery store beer permit may allow such curbside pick-up only during the hours the package store or grocery store is allowed to sell alcoholic liquor under subsection (d) of section 30-91 unless a more restrictive municipal ordinance limits such curbside pick-up hours.

(1949 Rev., S. 4242; 1951, S. 2157d; 1963, P.A. 274, S. 2; 485; February, 1965, P.A. 479; 1967, P.A. 230, S. 1; 347, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 294; 1971, P.A. 747, S. 2; 1972, P.A. 41, S. 1; P.A. 73-300; P.A. 75-259, S. 2, 8; 75-641, S. 4; P.A. 78-49; P.A. 79-404, S. 39, 45; P.A. 80-482, S. 342, 343, 345, 348; P.A. 81-367, S. 3, 9; P.A. 82-332, S. 2, 13; P.A. 84-78; 84-350, S. 1; P.A. 87-69, S. 1, 2; P.A. 90-32; P.A. 91-353, S. 2, 7; P.A. 93-52; 93-139, S. 14; P.A. 95-115, S. 1; 95-195, S. 23, 83; P.A. 96-7, S. 4, 5; P.A. 00-24; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(d); P.A. 04-169, S. 17; 04-189, S. 1; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 334; P.A. 11-51, S. 182; 11-81, S. 6; P.A. 12-17, S. 5; P.A. 13-11, S. 1; P.A. 14-22, S. 1; P.A. 15-24, S. 9; P.A. 21-37, S. 105; 21-50, S. 2; P.A. 22-104, S. 4; P.A. 24-76, S. 33; 24-85, S. 6.)

History: 1963 acts reworded Subsec. (c) substituting “grocery store as defined in subdivision (21) of section 30-1” for “store which is chiefly engaged in the sale of groceries” and specified that sale of “gift baskets or other containers of alcoholic liquor” is allowed in Subsec. (a); 1965 act substituted “alcoholic liquor and nonalcoholic beverages” for “alcoholic and nonalcoholic liquor” in Subsec. (a); 1967 acts specified that sale of concentrates used in mixed drinks and ice is allowed and that taking and transmitting of orders for delivery of merchandise in other states is allowed under package store permit in Subsec. (a); 1969 act permitted sale of multiple packages of still and sparkling wines in Subsec. (a); 1971 act changed wording in Subsec. (a) for clarity; 1972 act permitted sale of lottery tickets by stores operating under package store permits in Subsec. (a); P.A. 73-300 required posting of beer prices in Subsec. (c); P.A. 75-259 added references to containers sized by milliliters in Subsec. (a); P.A. 75-641 deleted reference to “subdivision (2)” of Sec. 30-1 in Subsec. (c); P.A. 78-49 added provision authorizing sale of cigarettes, bar utensils and gift packages in Subsec. (a); P.A. 79-404 replaced reference to state lottery division of commission on special revenue with reference to division of special revenue within the department of business regulation in Subsec. (a); P.A. 80-482 placed division of special revenue within the department of revenue services for administrative purposes only, deleting reference to abolished department of business regulation; P.A. 81-367 deleted Subsec. (b) re package store beer permit and relettered Subsec. (c) accordingly; P.A. 82-332 eliminated minimum container sizes; P.A. 84-78 allowed package stores to sell publications; P.A. 84-350 amended Subsec. (a) by allowing holders of package store permits to offer free samples of wine, cordials and new products, and to conduct demonstrations and tastings; P.A. 87-69 amended Subsec. (a) by removing the time limitation on conducting tastings and certain demonstrations; P.A. 90-32 amended section to allow holders of permits to sell articles of clothing with advertising related to alcohol; P.A. 91-353 amended Subsec. (a) to authorize package store permittees to offer free samples of beer brewed in this state by a holder of a manufacturer permit as defined in Sec. 30-16; P.A. 93-52 amended Subsec. (a) to substitute reference to sales of multiple packages of alcoholic liquors as defined in Sec. 30-1 for sales of multiple packages of still and sparkling wines; P.A. 93-139 made technical changes, added the annual fee for a package store permit and grocery store beer permit and added Subsec. (c) defining “grocery store”; P.A. 95-115 amended Subsec. (a) to permit the sale of beer and wine-making kits and products related to such kits, inserted revised Subdiv. indicators, and added provision authorizing holders of package store permits to participate in lottery ticket promotions and giveaways; P.A. 95-195 amended Subsec. (a) to substitute Department of Consumer Protection for Department of Liquor Control, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 96-7 amended Subsec. (a) to broaden range of samples package store permit holders may offer, substituting “alcoholic liquor” for specified types of beverages, effective April 2, 1996; P.A. 00-24 amended Subsec. (a)(4) to allow gift packages to contain certain nonalcoholic items; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 and P.A. 04-169 replaced Department of Consumer Protection with Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 increased fee in Subsec. (a) from $400 to $500 and increased fee in Subsec. (b) from $80 to $160; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Division of Special Revenue” and “division” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Consumer Protection” and “department”, respectively, in Subsec. (a), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-81 amended Subsec. (a) by increasing annual package store permit fee from $500 to $535 and deleting “plus the sum required by section 30-66” and amended Subsec. (b) by increasing annual grocery store beer permit fee from $160 to $170 and deleting “plus the sum required by section 30-66”; P.A. 12-17 amended Subsec. (a) by authorizing fee-based wine education and tasting classes, expanding permitted sales items to include complementary fresh fruits used in the preparation of mixed alcoholic beverages, cheese, crackers and olives and making technical changes and amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re permit fee of $1,500 for grocery stores with annual sales of not less than $2,000,000, effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 13-11 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision prohibiting wine tasting on premises from being offered from more than 10 uncorked bottles at one time, effective May 17, 2013; P.A. 14-22 amended Subsec. (a) to add Subdiv. (15) re gift baskets containing only containers of alcoholic liquor and commodities authorized for sale under Subdivs. (1) to (14), effective May 16, 2014; P.A. 15-24 amended Subsec. (a) by adding “and cigars” in Subdiv. (1), designating reference to olives as new Subdiv. (7), redesignating existing Subdivs. (7) to (15) as Subdivs. (8) to (16), and making a technical change, effective June 4, 2015; P.A. 21-37 amended Subsec. (a) by adding new Subdiv. (16) re devices and accessories for accessing and extracting alcoholic beverages and redesignating existing Subdiv. (16) as Subdiv. (17), effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 21-50 amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdiv. (16), codified by the Revisors as Subdiv. (17) re alcohol-infused confections, redesignating existing Subdiv. (16) as Subdiv. (18) and making a conforming change, effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 22-104 redesignated former Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (a) and divided redesignated Subsec. (a) into Subdivs. and Subparas., redesignated existing Subsec. (a) as Subsec. (b) and divided redesignated Subsec. (b) into Subdivs. and Subparas., amended redesignated Subsec. (b)(2) by redesignating existing Subsec. (a)(1) to (18) as Subsec. (b)(2)(A) to (R), redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c), added Subsec. (d) re curbside pick-up of alcoholic liquor, and made technical and conforming changes, effective May 24, 2022; P.A. 24-76 amended Subsec. (b)(2) by adding Subparas. (S) and (T) re infused beverages and legacy infused beverages, adding provisions re infused beverage endorsement fee and making a conforming change, effective July 1, 2024; P.A. 24-85 amended Subsec. (b)(1) by adding “or spirits”, provision re amount of spirits to be offered or provided for sampling or tasting and provision re cost of tasting, effective July 1, 2024.

See Sec. 30-6b re prohibition on regulation requiring that certain beer coolers be locked.

See Sec. 30-51a re leasing of part of premises operating under a grocery store beer permit.

Cited. 118 C. 252; 123 C. 35; 127 C. 275. “Grocery store beer permit” not a package store permit within meaning of ordinance. 139 C. 379. Cited. 140 C. 582; 148 C. 412; Id., 443; Id., 721; 184 C. 75.

Cited. 3 Conn. Cir. Ct. 674, 682; 5 Conn. Cir. Ct. 373.