HARRISBURG, PA -- The experimental self-service wine kiosk program being used in some Pennsylvania groceries is about to be expanded.Stacey Witalec, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, said Friday the board has approved wine kiosks for 24 Walmart stores around the state. Contracts are being reviewed.
Witalec said it probably will be several months before Walmart has the automated wine-bottle dispensing machines in use.
The initial trial program of such kiosks in about 30 non-Walmart stores was reduced in December when many of the devices malfunctioned. However, Witalec said, those problems have largely been resolved.
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1 comment:
How idiotic is our system in Pennsylvania?
Somehow, in Virginia you can walk into an ordinary supermarket and buy wine and there isn't anarchy in the streets.
The state store system and its analogs, like the kiosk, both limit choice for the consumer and cost the state money unnecessarily. (Really? Someone has to sit in Harrisburg and monitor everyone's face at all kiosks? What happens when there are hundreds or thousands of kiosks?).
And, aside from this, there is an obvious conflict of interest for the state in limiting alcohol sales or passing regulations when it is also in the business of retail wine and liquor sales itself.
We need to allow food retailers to sell alcohol and just tax it, not to have government employees selling alcohol.
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