FAQs

Your questions answered about the drive to allow beer and wine sales in grocery stores.

Why can’t I buy beer and wine in Maryland grocery stores?
Maryland is one of the few remaining states—3 to 5, depending on how food retailers are defined—that restrict beer and wine sales to licensed package or liquor stores. In Maryland, these restrictions were placed in the late 1970s and continue to limit access in grocery settings.
What do Marylanders think about allowing beer and wine in grocery stores?
Support for beer and wine sales in grocery stores is at an all-time high in Maryland, with 80% supporting the change according to the latest MD Now Poll. Support for beer and wine sales continues to climb year after year, up from 66 percent of likely voters supporting the issue in November of 2023, because Marylanders want choices.
Could selling beer and wine help grocery stores?
Grocery stores traditionally operate on very small profit margins—generally around 2–3%. Adding beer and wine to their offerings could provide a meaningful new revenue stream, helping stores remain financially viable.
Will this hurt independent liquor stores?
No. In the 46 states that already allow it, independent liquor stores and grocery stores operate side by side. In fact, liquor stores maintain exclusive rights to sell spirits in Maryland—giving them a product monopoly that grocery stores won’t touch. States like New York, Virginia, and Oregon have successfully balanced both.
Why can I buy beer and wine in some grocery stores?
Beer and wine sales were allowed in Maryland grocery stores before the restrictions placed in the late 1970’s. Some stores were able to be “grandfathered” in, but the vast majority of grocery stores in Maryland are not allowed.
How could this help communities lacking access to fresh food?
Grocery stores in underserved or marginalized neighborhoods often struggle to stay open, while liquor stores flourish at unhealthy levels. Introducing beer and wine sales could provide a boost that encourages new grocery stores or retention of existing stores so that all kinds of neighborhoods have fresh food access and health equity.
Who supports beer and wine sales in grocery stores?
80% of Maryland residents, Governor Wes Moore, other elected officials, including the Prince George’s County Council, real estate developers, grocery store owners, small business owners, and some community leaders have all come out in support of reforming these Prohibition-era laws, citing consumer convenience and fairer commerce, as well as more consumer choice.
What happens if this campaign succeeds? What should we watch for?
If updated laws allow grocery-based beer and wine sales, we should expect new oversight structures, consideration of how those funds could support underserved communities, and monitoring the impact on small retailers.