Advocates renew calls for legalization of beer, wine sales in Maryland grocery stores

A group of advocates in Maryland is renewing calls for the "long-overdue" legalization of beer and wine sales in grocery stores. 

Maryland is one of four states in the U.S. that do not allow the sale of beer in grocery stores, including Delaware, Rhode Island and Alaska. 

According to advocates from the Maryland Consumer Freedom Coalition, the ban deprives "consumers of a simple convenience that the vast majority of Marylanders support." 

The ban on beer and wine sales in Maryland grocery stores has been in place since 1978, and continues to spark debates for business owners, lawmakers and residents. 

Advocates are expected to launch a campaign to push for the legalization of beer and wine grocery store sales during a news conference in Baltimore on Thursday afternoon.

Beer and wine legislation

Maryland Delegate Marlon Amprey is expected to propose his bill, the Alcoholic Beverages Modernization Act, aimed at bringing beer and wine back to the grocery stores.

"We are seeing grocery stores close. We've seen four new grocery stores have closed across the state of Maryland," said Amprey said. "Beer and wine in these stores can be the lift that they need in order to make sure their margins are in a place where they can stay where they are, and people in the communities have access to fresh food."

Maryland's alcohol sale laws 

Some business owners in Maryland have argued that lifting the ban on beer and wine sales in grocery stores would hurt craft distillers and would cause smaller retailers to have to compete with convenience stores and larger chains. 

Last year, ahead of the 2025 Legislative Session, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore sparked worries for some liquor businesses after expressing support for an effort that would have allowed grocery stores to sell liquor.

"It doesn't make sense for Maryland to be out of step with the rest of the country, but the reality is, if people want to come and have beer and wine, one of the common threads I see and hear is people want this to happen," Gov. Moore said last year. "This is about listening to the people."

Ultimately, the ban was not overturned. Similar efforts have been launched in the past. 

In 2017, a panel of beer industry leaders discussed whether to promote sales in grocery stores; however, they doubted that lawmakers would support the change. 

"It's time to end the ridiculousness, the fact of the matter is we are living in an era of prohibition, in the 21st century, and the only people who can effect this change are elected officials," Adam Borden with Marylanders for Better Beer and Wine Laws said at the time.

In 2018, former Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot advocated for the sale of alcohol in grocery stores, saying, "I know it's a strange, quirky system I'm advocating. It's called free enterprise, it's called capitalism and it works." 

In 2021, Maryland lawmakers considered legislation that would have allowed grocery stores to qualify for liquor licenses, required that they offer a full line of products in "priority funding areas. However, the bill stalled after being introduced in both the House and Senate.

For and against beer and wine sales in grocery stores

The beer and wine ban at grocery stores has been in the works for years. But, while it may be convenient to purchase everything in one place, Wells Discount Liquors told WJZ last year they're concerned this could hurt their business.

They also say Marylanders won't be the ones to benefit.

"All the grocery stores this would go into are owned by corporations outside of our state. So there would be no financial gain for Maryland," an employee said.

However, Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance, argues this will actually help the overall economy.

"Every time a Maryland family crosses that border to shop, we don't just lose their beer and wine sales," Locklair said. "We lose their entire grocery basket. We lose sales tax revenue. We lose spending that should be supporting Maryland jobs and Maryland communities."

Those in favor of the bill are also looking into safeguards to protect existing liquor stores, including not creating new licenses, a distance restriction between grocery and liquor stores, and a limited square footage allowed for alcohol in grocery stores.

According to the Maryland Retailers Alliance, 80% of Marylanders support this bill.