Liquor Laws Change in Response to Demand for Delivery During Pandemic

Despite rising COVID-19 cases, most of the governors in the United States have lifted stay-at-home orders. But some states such as Texas have now banned bars from serving alcohol to keep the infectious virus at bay.

The unprecedented stay-at-home orders and whiplash of phased reopening starting and pausing have left customers craving their favorite cocktail, and disgruntled brands looking for new revenue streams.

In response, some state legislatures are working to change their laws to allow alcohol delivery.

Many states forbid shipping wine and spirits, halting the growth of delivery giants such as Drizly and hampering direct-to-consumer efforts from wineries and distilleries.

During the pandemic, residents tried to stay home, but the demand grew for happy hours at home and delivery.

Drizly, an online service that partners with liquor stores to deliver alcohol to customers, has lobbied local and state legislators to quickly pass bills, change the laws, and serve customers a drink. If these laws are passed, the wine and spirits industry has a new revenue channel to pursue.

Read more on Dimensional Insight’s blog.