Why you might see higher prices for wine and liquor in Pennsylvania soon

(WTAJ) — The price of wine and liquor in Pennsylvania could go up after the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) voted during a public meeting earlier this month.

The PLCB decided to amend the bailment agreement July 16, which means that beginning on January 1, 2026, there will be a $1 fee on all boxes of alcohol that come into the PLCB distribution warehouse.

While $1 a box doesn’t seem like a lot, many companies will pass the added cost to the consumer who is buying the products.

A coalition consisting of the Pennsylvania Wine and Spirits Association (PWSA), Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), American Distilled Spirits Alliance (ADSA) and Wine Institute (WI), strongly opposes the decision.

“As representatives of the world’s wine and spirits producers, we strongly opposed this new fee that will undoubtedly increase prices for Pennsylvania consumers,” the coalition said. “Further, this fee was imposed with barely any notice and no opportunity for producers to discuss its consequences, ask questions or propose alternatives. Now is not the time to impose new fees on wine and spirits in Pennsylvania. PLCB’s business partners and the public deserve a transparent accounting of agency operations before facing new fees that will raise consumer prices on alcohol.”

In a release from the coalition, they claim this move will cost alcohol producers roughly $15 to $17 million a year, according to their economic analysis.

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The $1 fee will be by the box/package, meaning a four-pack of ready-to-drink cocktails will be subject to the same fee as a 6-bottle case of vodka, or a 12-bottle case of wine.

While the fee won’t begin until 2026, the new year will be here before we know it.

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