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.