LCBO / The Beer Store

[Northern Light]

I think I have five LCBOs within just over a km of my building. Plus the store in St. Lawrence Market.

I'm in the eastern part of East York, north of Danforth:

Nearest store for me is ~2km, the others are closer to 4km (30m-60m walk)

Those two stores on the Danforth are 4km apart.

 

[evandyk]

That's why I don't live in the suburbs!

(Though I will soon)

 

[innsertnamehere]

I never saw the point of selling wine in grocery stores, but hopefully the selection is better than what is on offer in Québec (essentially 99% SAQ-bottled plonk). Eataly has kept an extensive selection of Italian products that cannot be found anywhere else (if you can stomach their huge markup). Just try to find a Dolcetto d'Alba, interesting vermouths or even a Lambrusco at the LCBO.

anything sold in grocery stores has to be distributed by the LCBO so if it's not in the LCBO don't expect to see it anywhere else, unfortunately.

 

[Northern Light]

anything sold in grocery stores has to be distributed by the LCBO so if it's not in the LCBO don't expect to see it anywhere else, unfortunately.

Not entirely accurate. Eataly sells many wines you can't find at the LCBO; because it's using its restaurants to sell as a bottle shop. It is allowed to bring in whatever it wishes (you use agents, who do ultimately go through the LCBO whether product is retail listed or not.)

If the retailer is not a restaurant licensee, I'm fairly sure they can still agent a label through the LCBO, but I doubt they would bother.

I can order anything I want through the LCBO, there is a 1 case minimum.

It's called private ordering:

helloLCBO | Private Ordering

hellolcbo.com

 

[max]

anything sold in grocery stores has to be distributed by the LCBO so if it's not in the LCBO don't expect to see it anywhere else, unfortunately.

Things can be imported, it just has to come through the LCBO. I know someone that used to buy wines from an importer and they would go pick them up down at the warehouse by Queens Quay when the cases came in.

 

[christiesplits]

Starting tomorrow, paper bags will be gone from all LCBO locations.

LCBO end single-use paper bags at retail stores

After September 5, free eight-pack carriers and boxes will still be available at retail and convenience stores. A new two-bottle reusable bag, made from recycled water bottles, will be offered starting in September.

www.thestar.com

 

[Northern Light]

Starting tomorrow, paper bags will be gone from all LCBO locations.

LCBO end single-use paper bags at retail stores

After September 5, free eight-pack carriers and boxes will still be available at retail and convenience stores. A new two-bottle reusable bag, made from recycled water bottles, will be offered starting in September.

www.thestar.com

Yeah, dumb decision.

Like regular plastic bags frankly, well intended, perhaps, but very problematic.

In the case of the LCBO, the problem is even for people bringing a re-usable bag, if you put 2 glass bottles in the same bag with no barrier between them, its a recipe for trouble.

Less of an issue for those driving to an LCBO, a bigger one for those walking/biking; but still an issue for anyone who doesn't bring extra bags to separate out the bottles for the LCBO bottle-friendly designed bag.

****

Back on plastic bags, I had no issue w/paying for them. But I note, I used to use mine as kitchen garbage bags, getting a second use out of them.

Now, I have to buy additional plastic bags in a branded box to put in my garbage.

I'd be fine compostable bags, and paying .25c a pop; but getting rid of any bag that isn't considered 're-usable' isn't necessarily a big win for the environment and may create its own problems.

 

[gabe]

Starting tomorrow, paper bags will be gone from all LCBO locations.

LCBO end single-use paper bags at retail stores

After September 5, free eight-pack carriers and boxes will still be available at retail and convenience stores. A new two-bottle reusable bag, made from recycled water bottles, will be offered starting in September.

www.thestar.com

They switched from plastic to paper, because plastic is bad for the environment, but they will sell you plastic polyester "reusable bags" which are just as bad for the environment . Those plastic fibers that shared off on those reusable bags take hundreds of years for the earth to break down.

I agree with Northern Light, i would be fine paying 25c for compostable bags, I use them in my kitchen garbage.

​

 

[afransen]

I'd be fine compostable bags, and paying .25c a pop; but getting rid of any bag that isn't considered 're-usable' isn't necessarily a big win for the environment and may create its own problems.

I'm aware of some retailers that are giving consumers cheap/inexpensive "reusable" bags to replace disposable bags for ecommerce transactions such as grocery delivery. Consumers are getting buried in these 'reusable' bags and in turn disposing of them. It's almost Kafkaesque. Government regulations to reduce plastic waste in turn increasing it.

I agree that the right answer was to tax single use bags more heavily, not to outright bag them.

 

[Dan416]

Yeah I'm having a hard time understanding this decision. Grocery stores I can see people making sure to bring their reusable bags for their weekly groceries. Just popping into the LCBO is going to be a lot harder now.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Weekly groceries without plastic bags doesn't bother me, I'm pretty good about grabbing them out of my car on my way in.

It's much more bothersome for other, more irregular store visits - clothes shopping, etc.

LCBO is doubly annoying since they used paper, and not plastic bags in the first place - they didn't even need to eliminate their bag system.

 

[ShonTron]

Weekly groceries without plastic bags doesn't bother me, I'm pretty good about grabbing them out of my car on my way in.

It's much more bothersome for other, more irregular store visits - clothes shopping, etc.

It’s much easier for those people with cars. Those without cars have to figure out ways to stow tote bags into their purses/handbags, pockets, jackets, etc.

 

[evandyk]

Yeah, I keep a tote bag in my office bag, so if I'm stopping on the way home from work I'm covered. But if I'm out walking on the weekend or what not, I would rarely think to stuff a bag in my pocket before leaving. I guess I'll eventually get in the habit.

And it's not just LCBO. Metro and No Frills don't have bags anymore either and I've been caught a few times.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I hope so!

Is The Beer Store finished? Sources say announcement coming soon that could end beer case sales monopoly

Within the next month, the Ford government is expected to announce it’s not renewing the Master Framework Agreement, which prevents anyone but The Beer Store from selling beer by the case.

www.thestar.com

Paywall free: https://archive.is/LiXjL

We’d need to sort out bottle returns. I’d support a system like we have in New Brunswick, where you take your bottles and cans to a dedicated deposit return centre. While we’re at it, put a deposit on all fast food cups.

 

[TossYourJacket]

I hope so!

Is The Beer Store finished? Sources say announcement coming soon that could end beer case sales monopoly

Within the next month, the Ford government is expected to announce it’s not renewing the Master Framework Agreement, which prevents anyone but The Beer Store from selling beer by the case.

www.thestar.com

Paywall free: https://archive.is/LiXjL

We’d need to sort out bottle returns. I’d support a system like we have in New Brunswick, where you take your bottles and cans to a dedicated deposit return centre. While we’re at it, put a deposit on all fast food cups.

As long as we provide options for people without cars. Return centres need to be in walkable neighbourhoods, not just places people need to drive or take a bus to. A two-tier system is not the answer.