Buck a beer bye bye, LCBO big brother

[bornagainbiking]

Well that is it! The straw that broke the camel’s back.
I am a middle-aged adult that holds a full time good paying job. Did I mention that I am a parent of two what I consider normal young adults?
Thank God, the LCBO has taken it upon themselves to be my social conscience.
They raised the basic price of beer not to meet costs but as their social responsibility.

I do not need some pinhead bureaucrat in Toronto to raise the prices for such a self righteous reason. I could understand if the extra cost was used to go to charity or the food banks. But, Nooooooooooooo, it will just be wasted on who knows what.
The kicker is the Queen of the 24 for 24, buck a beer concept and saviour of Lakeport says she not against the price increase. Or
"I think that it's important to continue to ensure that people drink responsibly and to encourage them doing that," she said.
"They shouldn't be able to get a bottle of beer cheaper than a soft drink. There's something not right about that."
I know this is a odd way to look at it, but do you thinks maybe pop is priced too high. It’s sugar, carbonated water and flavouring.
So I pay my huge Federal, Provincial and Municipal taxes, not to mention PST and GST and you want to raise the price one of the few minor treats I have left. Because I might abuse it. Well maybe you can look at some other things I might do. Outlaw Cigarettes, speeding and porn. Heaven forbid we outlaw the casinos, it has a negative effect on people but they get ATM and cash machines inside the casinos.
If it is such a major issue of abuse them maybe empower the Beer store employees. Odd in Quebec they sell beer and wine in stores for way less and I don’t see people laying in the streets.
I am being discriminated against with out just cause. Because of what I might do. Punish me before the crime and never address the issue. I worked in a community that had a major abuse problem and people were passed out all over the place. They drank cooking sherry and Listerine yes mouth wash.. Because they would not sell beer or liquor to an intoxicated person which is a law already on the books. Even the drugstores and grocery stores were vigilant on who bought mouthwash.
So Ontario is corrupt where other provinces treat their citizens with respect, I am treated like some child or derelict. If I am such a unreliable person don’t take my taxes. Yeah right.
I am insulted to be taken advantage of by the very people I pay their wages.
Do your job and address the issue not some insulting blanket policy. If I have a problem I will see AA and my doctor.
Thanks for your pompous concern

[crhayes]

I agree... what is this accomplishing...? I know it's not going to cause me to buy/drink any less beer; in the end they just end up making more money, we pay more and get nothing for it, and they piss us all off.

As far as pop, yeah it's definitely overpriced.... about $2 for 500ml of sugar and water... please!!

[FairHamilton]

I'll prove them wrong and drink more. So much for their theory, lol.

[flar]

I think they're just raising the base price, so the prices of more expensive beers don't have to increase (but they probably will anyway).


Stupid though. Raise the price of the cheapest beers, more tax on the people who can least afford it. Some social engineering mastermind sees the unemployment rate go up and thinks he'll solve the temptation to drink in hard times. Nothing will stop people from getting a buzz on if they want to. They'll just switch to hard liquor or something other than alcohol. Beer is already way too much.

[adam]

Alcohol purchases tend to increase in a recession

[IronWarrior]

F*** it! I was going to buy one case of beer tommorrow now I'am going to buy two! I really dont understand how this is going to control peoples drinking? I still see many people buying there cases of blue,bud,canadian for $35 plus...actually I have never seen the liquor and beer store as packed as it was on Saturday in awhile and alot of those people were purchasing the above brands or better, a recession does bring about more drinking though!

[oldcoote]

As much as I'd like to support the local brewery, the buck a beer stuff is plain awful.

I'd much rather support a micro-brewery.

[MsMe]

I'm a non drinker so I don't care about the prices.

[drpgq]

I had the Lakeport Ale at my father's on the weekend and it was ok. I was interested to see that on the label, it now lists with Hamilton along with the other Labatt cities.

Personally I'm not a fan of the minimum price rise. Wasn't there something in the papers about the rise being due to directives from the Ministry of Finance for increased tax purposes, rather than the LCBO for social responsibility?

[FairHamilton]

Originally Posted by drpgq

Wasn't there something in the papers about the rise being due to directives from the Ministry of Finance for increased tax purposes, rather than the LCBO for social responsibility?

LCBO and social responsibility. Now there is an oxymoronic statement.

I was shocked to see individual bottles of beer for sale on an end cap display at the LCBO at Jackson Square.

I didn't stop to investigate much, or take a closer look (one day I will). It immediately made me think of the small packs of cigarettes (called kiddie packs) which were designed to sell to people without much money (kids, and lower income). The government outlawed them a few years back.

I can't recall seeing individual bottles of beer (sure large cans and bottles but not individual regular bottles) for sale at any other LCBO. As I mentioned above, one day I'm going to stop and take a closer look to be sure I saw what I thought I saw, LCBO catering to those who can't afford a 6 pack.

[Jon Dalton]

Bang on.

Originally Posted by bornagainbiking

The kicker is the Queen of the 24 for 24, buck a beer concept and saviour of Lakeport says she not against the price increase. Or "I think that it's important to continue to ensure that people drink responsibly and to encourage them doing that," she said.
"They shouldn't be able to get a bottle of beer cheaper than a soft drink. There's something not right about that."

Theresa?

Interesting how she refers so condescendingly to 'they' as in all the alcoholics who buy lakeport because it's a buck, while championing an entire product line aimed at that market segment.

Well tell me this - if it costs more, how do you continue to justify making such god-awful beer?

[Jon Dalton]

Originally Posted by FairHamilton

LCBO and social responsibility. Now there is an oxymoronic statement.

I was shocked to see individual bottles of beer for sale on an end cap display at the LCBO at Jackson Square.

They've had that at Dundurn for a while. Though I've never seen it from that angle, I believe it's there to liquidate all the singles that end up accumulating when people take individual bottles and cans out of 6-packs. It also provides a bit more variety in the cold selection depending on what's in there.

[sofasurfer]

Originally Posted by FairHamilton

I can't recall seeing individual bottles of beer (sure large cans and bottles but not individual regular bottles) for sale at any other LCBO.

The one at Eastgate does - and I'm very glad they do. It means I can get to sample a good range of beers that are new to me (plus some old friends from Europe that I didn't think I'd necessarily find over here ) and basically stock up with a nice selection of beers without having to buy more than I want or need... the OCB variety pack is a nice idea, incidentally.

Out of interest, how much is Lakeport now? I bought a case of Honey Brown when it was on offer a few weeks back, think it was about $27? Not a buck a beer, but not far off.

Is this a price or tax increase, btw? As a newcomer, I'm not sure how LCBO profits are handled by the Province, so pardon to possibly dumb-sounding question...

[Jon Dalton]

I might add, in France you can get a bottle of wine for under $2. Also, drinking age is 15, bars and corner stores sell booze all night. They have less alcoholism than we do in North America and their laws on drunk driving are much stricter. I believe most European countries are similar.

[FairHamilton]

Probably just the placement of the single beers at Jackson Square, I don't usually buy beer at the LCBO (only wine and liquor), so don't venture into that section often.

I read somewhere the breweries would make more money so it can't be a tax increase. Though any price increase would include a corresponding tax increase, PST, GST and other taxes, buried into the final price.

[flar]

I think it's a price increase. They're just setting the "floor" price higher, the minimum you can sell beer for.


I mostly buy beer one bottle or can at a time because I like variety. With most brands, you can pull a can or bottle from a pack at the LCBO if you like.

[drpgq]

Originally Posted by FairHamilton

I read somewhere the breweries would make more money so it can't be a tax increase. Though any price increase would include a corresponding tax increase, PST, GST and other taxes, buried into the final price.

I thought I did read that the reason for the raise was for the additional PST. The buck a beer segment has a decent chunk of the market now, so that extra PST on all those cases adds up to an ok amount (admittedly not that big, but I think we'll probably be seeing numerous fee increases in the next few years). Probably an actual rise of the tax would have been considered to be too blatant.

[FairHamilton]

Originally Posted by drpgq

I thought I did read that the reason for the raise was for the additional PST. The buck a beer segment has a decent chunk of the market now, so that extra PST on all those cases adds up to an ok amount (admittedly not that big, but I think we'll probably be seeing numerous fee increases in the next few years). Probably an actual rise of the tax would have been considered to be too blatant.

Not taxes, they raised the "floor price". Which as I mentioned will also increase tax revenues through sales tax because the the price is now higher.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/can...LorM-Igk51cPCg

Raising minimum prices for beer can help boost the bottom line at the big breweries. Hapak said the increase could also affect government revenues.

"If customers purchase the same litre volume of the 40 brands directly affected by the minimum price increases, then the province could receive incremental RST (retail sales tax) revenue, if customers don't reduce other purchases that are subject to RST."

[bornagainbiking]

There is nothing wrong with Lakeport, some bars even sell it for a fair price. When it is cold, I prefer a LP light to a Coors light and the price is better. I laugh at the beer store all the twenty or thirdy something guys are buying the Blue or Corona and the family guys are walking out with lakeport or Brava (poor man's Corona).
If your palate is that finely tuned go for it but after a couple I question your taste buds.
Besides lakeport is brewed here in Hamilton so it is your neighbours at work.
Maybe Labatts is internationally owned but the workers are hamilton people.

Like I said at the beginning I am an adult and I don't need someone raising the price to deter me from becoming an alcoholic. That is censorship or govenment control. i am the voter and pay your wages fire the stooges what good are they, so out of touch.

[sofasurfer]

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

I might add, in France you can get a bottle of wine for under $2.

Sure, but have you drunk that stuff?
To be fair, you can buy a pretty damn good bottle for about $10 (that would cost you about 3 times as much in the UK - which is why so many of us used to go on 'booze cruises' aka take a ferry across the English Channel to france for the day, stock up with good stuff and bring it home...)

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

Also, drinking age is 15, bars and corner stores sell booze all night. They have less alcoholism than we do in North America and their laws on drunk driving are much stricter. I believe most European countries are similar.

There's a growing social problem with drinking in France these days. See, for example, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7783979.stm

I'm not sure what the blood-alcohol levels are over here, but I was (and remain) shocked by the apparent social acceptability of drink-driving over here compared to the UK and Europe. I was stopped by the police coming back from TO late one night not long after we moved here, was asked if I'd had anything to drink, replied I hadn't, and was waved on In the UK, if you're stopped, they can breath-test you if they have any reasonable cause to do so. Simple as that. While I'm not in favour of 'big brother' policing, I have no issue with well-enforced drink-driving campaigns.

Oh, and Europe's a pretty large and diverse continent, btw. IIRC, alcoholism and drink-related problems are quite an issue in some EU countries. But the policies and socio-cultural attitudes differ widely. Thankfully, blood-alcohol levels are becoming more harmonized (IIRC, The Economist published something a few months ago that was quite illuminating).

At least we're not in Scandinavia. If you want sky-high alcohol taxation, coupled with a significant backdrop of alcohol problems, look no further than there