Gasoline prices are up nearly 35 percent since last summer and so are the prices of many items in your refrigerator and freezer. And now the state of North Carolina is considering a measure to raise the price of your drink even more.
That's on top of the fact that North Carolina already has the 5th highest spirits tax rate in the country—3 times higher than the state of New York.
Yet, the NC Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission is considering a rule change that would increase the price floor on alcohol. That means that the most affordable options—spirits that everyday North Carolinians buy and enjoy—will get even more expensive if they have their way.
Raising the floor on alcohol prices adds another burden on restaurants, bars, and retailers still struggling with rising costs and still feeling the sting from Covid, and on the consumers who keep them in business.
Increasing the price doesn't do anything except make consumers dig deeper into their wallets.
Minimum pricing unfairly targets value brands—the ones lower-income and working-class North Carolinians rely on. Consumers should have the freedom to choose what fits in their budget, not have that choice priced away.
Tell your policymakers to put a stop to it. Tell them to be on the side of consumers, local restaurants, and bar owners. And to leave our drinks alone.
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