 A spokesman for Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell says the governor is likely to approve a pilot program to put self-serve wine kiosks in grocery stores, provided he’s comfortable that the technology is reliable.
Earlier, a week ago, Rendell’s spokesman Chuck Ardo had said the governor wasn’t yet ready to sign off on a fall pilot program for the wine vending machines. A press release was issued around midday Wednesday, a week ago, announcing that the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board would begin a pilot program placing self-serve wine kiosks in grocery stores in the fall. But the press release was recalled a short time later.
But after a morning hearing by lawmakers, Chuck confirmed that the governor is supportive of the program but simply wants to be assured that the machines will work as advertised. “I think unless he finds fault with the technology, he is likely to approve the pilot program,” he said.
At the hearing, the chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board said the pilot program would likely involve placing wine kiosks in four or five grocery stores. And if all goes well, the kiosks could start dispensing wine in as many as 100 stores after a month or so.
Proper precautions will be used, of course to make sure there is no misuse due to human absence to check the identity and age of the buyer. The buyer’s breath would be analyzed to make sure he or she is not intoxicated. The machine would also read the buyer's driver’s license to verify age. Cameras would be used to verify that the person on the license and the vending machine is same, according to an online report by the KYW News Radio 1060 in Philadelphia.
The LCB has already conducted an open-bid process for technology that would allow wine to be sold from kiosks in a way that would prevent the sale to underage or intoxicated persons.
USA has federal states and like in India, each state like Pennsylvania can decide their alcohol strategy independently. This does result in complex and sometimes antiquated, pre-prohibition and old-fashioned laws. But most Americans in the wine business agree that the system is transparent and is well in place to enable the importers and distributors to plan within the system- unlike in India where the state government changes pace and even the track midway through the fiscal year without batting an eyelid, creating a lot of uncertainty, suspension in supplies and losses to the whole supply chain and inconvenience to the wine consumer.
Maharashtra changed its excise policy twice last year. Delhi announced its MRP based policy in June this year. Bangalore also announced its change in tax structure, late last year. After going through an unsuccessful prohibition Haryana has turned into one of the most progressive and transparent states so far as the wine and liquor laws and policies are concerned. Supermarket sales are allowed in the states, just as they are in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Chandigarh etc.
Perhaps, the Haryana government or some powerful importers or wine lovers should look into the machine and take a bold step of being the first in the country to allow sale of wine through vending machines. This ‘cocacolaisation’ of wine would be a welcome though very bold step. |