PLCB plans to raise the price of the state’s most popular drink by 4% on Sunday.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania — As food and gas costs rise in Pennsylvania, so does the cost of liquor.
Starting Sunday, January 15, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board will increase the prices of 3,554 beverages by an average of 4%.
The agency cited record-high inflation as the reason for the increase.
The announcement received immediate criticism from restaurants and alcohol groups. The Distillery Council of America says the increase will affect the hospitality industry and customers.
The Pennsylvania Restaurant and Accommodation Association claims the Liquor Control Board has a monopoly, saying businesses with a liquor license cannot shop for better prices.
Adam Sturgis, owner of the Sturgis Speakeasy in Harrisburg, said, “I would be surprised if this made the price of Gray Goose so high that we actually needed to raise the price per cup.
Sturgis said higher prices won’t affect the operation of his business, but rising wages and supply shortages will.
“Short supply of other products, from agricultural commodities to meat, will have a big impact.
“Because of this price increase, they won’t see a significant price increase when they come to the restaurant,” Sturges said.
In a statement, the Liquor Control Board claims this increase will offset an 8% annual increase in operating costs over the past four years and projected cost increases in 2023.
The PCLB also criticized the Distiled Spirit Council’s statement, calling their objections to the price increase “at best startling and at worst disingenuous.”