Yes, A Fine Wine Can Help Address Food Deserts
Prince George’s County Pushes for Grocery Stores That Include Beer and Wine Sales Options. Other Areas Have Toasted The Success Of Such Plans.
Prince George’s County leaders are pushing a new angle to bring more grocery stores into neighborhoods that lack access to fresh food. One idea on the table is allowing grocery stores to sell beer and wine, according to local news sources. Leaders say it’s not really about alcohol, but instead about making it more appealing for businesses to open in the county. A pilot program is being discussed that would give select stores in underserved areas permission to sell beer and wine.
Past efforts to change state alcohol law have failed despite support from the governor. But the idea may have merit as it has been applied in other areas of the country with measurable success.
But there are indicators that this approach can be helpful. Jurisdictions across the nation have addressed various food insecurity issues with similar plans.
Lessons from Other States
In Pennsylvania, reforms to liquor laws in 2016 allowed grocery stores in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to sell beer and wine. Research from The Food Trust shows that after these changes, more than two dozen full-service grocery stores opened in previously underserved Philadelphia neighborhoods. Residents reported greater access to fresh produce and meats within walking distance, and surveys found a 12% increase in weekly fruit and vegetable purchases in households near the new stores.
In Ohio, particularly in Cleveland and Columbus, grocery stores that added beer and wine sales saw sales volumes stabilize enough to remain profitable in areas previously abandoned by larger chains. Local economic development officials credited the policy shift with helping draw regional grocers like Giant Eagle into neighborhoods where access to fresh produce had been scarce.
North Carolina offers another example. In rural towns like Rocky Mount and Wilson, small-format grocery stores paired with beer and wine sales licenses were able to sustain operations in food desert areas. State agriculture reports note that nearly 40% of these stores would not have opened without the added revenue stream from beer and wine sales.
Even Texas, known for its expansive grocery markets, provides lessons. When H-E-B expanded beer and wine offerings at its urban stores in San Antonio and Houston, the increased customer base allowed those stores to carry a wider selection of affordable fresh produce in low-income neighborhoods. Local public health surveys found a 15% reduction in residents traveling more than a mile to access groceries in targeted districts.
Balancing Opportunity and Concerns
Some residents say they welcome the idea, even if they don’t drink, because it could bring more shopping options closer to home. Others stress that affordability matters most. Not everyone supports the change, though — a statewide beverage group has argued it could hurt small businesses.
Still, as examples from Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas demonstrate, coupling beer and wine sales with fresh food offerings has given grocery stores the financial incentive to locate in food deserts while improving community health outcomes. For now, county leaders hope this smaller step could finally help attract the grocery stores many families in Prince George’s have been waiting for.
