Home Business & Economy Retail American liquor still on many BC retail shelves

American liquor still on many BC retail shelves

US tariffs will become effective Feb 4

american liquor
American liquor products (sample)
CANADA-USA NEWS & ANALYSIS

Sunday February 2, 2025 | LANGFORD, BC [Posted at 11:20 am | Updated 5:07 pm on February 3, 2025]

by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends


UPDATE AT 5:07 pmRetaliatory BC tariffs are being suspended for now, said Premier David Eby in a 4:30 pm press conference. American liquor products can go back onto retail shelves for now.


The BC government’s decision to block on the sale of US-sourced liquor in BC stores as sourced from ‘red states’ was delivered by Premier Eby late in the afternoon on Saturday, February 1.

bc premier david eby, Feb 1
BC Premier David Eby addresses British Columbians on February 1, 2025 about US Tariffs. [livestream]

Targeting US-sourced liquor is part of BC’s strategy within the Canada-wide tariff response to the US.

While he was out golfing for the day, yesterday US President Donald Trump’s administration announced the application of 25% tariffs on all Canadian exports to the United States starting February 4.

‘Red states’ are where people usually vote Republican, which would include Wyoming (flipped back from Democrat in 2024), West Virginia (70.2% in 2024), North Dakota (67.5% in 2024), Oklahoma (66.2% in 2024), Idaho (67.3% in 2024), Arkansas, and Kentucky; and strategically Florida (where Trump lives) as well as Alabama.

red and blue states, 2024
Red (Republican) & Blue (Democrat) states as won in the Nov 2024 US election. [Reuters / Geographical.co.uk]

Liquor stores on Sunday:

Today on Sunday, a lot of US liquor products are evidently still on store shelves. Many stores haven’t seen decisions from their management or head office yet.

american liquor, rum
A selection of American rum products. [web]

Private and local stores seem to be working with available information and what they can do.

However, already further product cannot be ordered, as the trade ordering system has been blocked by government.

American products:

These top 5 brands from ‘red states’ are to be immediately pulled from BC liquor stores:

Jack Daniels (Tennessee), Bacardi Rum (Florida), Titos Vodka (Texas), Jim Beam (Kentucky), and Bulleit Bourbon (Kentucky).

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Supporting the country’s fight:

It’s unclear how frustrated the retailers will become and how aligned they will be with the ‘Team Canada’ approach to fighting back during this economic war with the current US administration. The back and forth of tariff responses could go on for a while.

Liquor stores are on the front line, but economic impacts will rollout further across the Canadian economy over the weeks ahead.

Disruption is already obvious across many sectors of the economy (key industries such as auto manufacturing and softwood lumber will be hit and end-product prices will rise).

Worry is prevalent among British Columbian and Canadian households, most of whom can least afford any further cost of living pressures.

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Popular product:

It appears that American products are very popular in liquor stores in this province as a strong component of the profit margin. Clearly this is smart politics as in hitting the aggressor where it hurts.

Meanwhile, a spontaneous recommendation to choose Canadian products doesn’t seem to be forthcoming from any of the stores yet. Opportunity is usual found within crisis; Canadian producers of wines and spirits could yet well gain some product boost during this phase.

The smaller private stores seem to be acutely feeling the reach of government in their enterprise operations.

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Stores in the region:

  • At Cascadia Liquor in Langford they are still discussing the situation with head office while products remain on the shelves. Products include bourbon, California wine, whiskey and other US alcohol products. Normally they have a full California wine section and a full shelf of American bourbon.
  • At Signature Liquor in Langford (which is a BC Liquor store) all the US wines are still on the shelf but some of the bourbon and rum items are still there.
  • At Liquor Planet II in Langford none of the products have been removed, as the store manager has not yet been in to direct any action.
  • At Saanich Centre Liquor Plus all the US liquor products are still on the shelves. They carry a full range of spirits as well as wines from California and Oregon.
  • At Castle Liquor in Sooke much of the US product — already purchased before the tariffs kicked in– is still on the shelves. Some customers are presently buying more than usual.
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