Support for selling beer, wine in convenience stores

Two-thirds of adults in province backed move

Two-thirds of adult Islanders participating in a provincial survey support having beer and wine in convenience stores.

The research was commissioned by the Atlantic Convenience Stores Association and conducted independently by MQO Research last June.

Results are accurate within plus or minus five percentage points 19 times out of 20.

All survey participants were asked “To what extent would you support or oppose that Prince Edward Island convenience stores should be allowed to sell packaged beer and wine to adult customers?’’ Response options included one of strongly oppose, oppose, somewhat oppose, somewhat support, support or strongly support.

Islanders strongly supported selling beer and wine in convenience stores.

Mike Hammoud, president of the Atlantic Convenience Stores Association, says that the P.E.I. findings strongly suggest that adult Islanders are largely supportive of wine and beer retailing in convenience stores.

“In many ways, this is no surprise to us,’’ Hammoud said. “What is particularly notable is that almost 60 per cent of survey participants identified as being non-drinkers expressed some level of support for retailing beer and wine in convenience stores.’’

According to Hammoud, the majority of beer in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, the United States and most of the developed world is sold by convenience stores that are small, easily accessible, trusted and privately operated.

“We live in a world where consumers expect convenience and convenient access to packaged beer and wine sold in a responsible manner is part of that expectation.’’