Costco Stores⁢ in ⁤Ontario Begin Selling Beer and Wine, But with a​ Twist

Costco stores in Ontario ⁤have ​started selling beer and wine, but ​customers are in for a surprise. Unlike⁤ the ‍LCBO, which includes ‌tax in the price, Costco displays the price ‌before ‌tax.

This ​means that customers who were initially​ thrilled to find lower prices compared to the LCBO were later disappointed to learn ⁤that the prices were not inclusive of tax.

At the​ Etobicoke⁤ Costco store, various imported wines priced at more than $20 per bottle were on display. A 1.5-liter ⁢bottle​ of Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon wine⁤ imported from⁤ California was listed at $29.95, $5 cheaper⁣ than​ the⁤ LCBO.

However, customers were surprised to find that the⁢ prices ⁣were ‘before tax’, which added to the⁢ overall cost.

Meanwhile, Costco’s own brand, Kirkland, accounts for a large portion of the company’s sales ⁢but isn’t scheduled to hit​ liquor shelves ⁢until 2026. The province‍ will continue to ban the sale of ⁢own-brand‍ alcohol in stores until 2026 to provide a level playing field for small ⁣and medium-sized producers.

31 Costco stores ‌in Ontario ​will sell beer and wine⁣ starting on the 31st. ‌Unsplash

Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy’s ⁣spokeswoman, ⁣Colin ‌Blachar, stated that the ban on own-brand​ alcohol sales⁣ is intended to provide a level playing field for small⁢ and medium-sized producers.