Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores NAICS 445320

Feb 8, 2026 - New Alcohol Intake Guidelines

• The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans introduce a big shift in federal alcohol messaging, replacing numeric drink limits with a broad directive to “limit alcoholic beverages,” ABC News reports. The less prescriptive language creates ambiguity for consumers and may reduce the urgency around moderating intake. For liquor stores, the change has mixed implications: the absence of strict daily drink limits could ease pressure on casual drinkers and help stabilize demand, while public‑health groups are criticizing the guidelines for downplaying alcohol‑related risks, which could fuel renewed calls for warning‑label updates, stricter marketing rules, or future regulatory action that could affect sales. The guidelines also arrive amid heightened scrutiny of alcohol’s links to cancer and chronic disease, potentially influencing long‑term consumer behavior, especially among health‑conscious shoppers. Overall, liquor stores face a messaging landscape that’s less restrictive today but may trigger more policy debate and shifting consumer perceptions ahead.
• The price of a bottle of European wine is expected to rise as much as 15% to 30% in 2026 due to a 15% tariff on European Union goods that the Trump administration announced last summer, The Wall Street Journal reported in December. Moreover, the rise of the euro against the dollar is making imports more expensive. Wine retailers and importers stocked up ahead of the pending price jump. However, once stocks are depleted, wine retailers that avoided passing on their higher costs to avoid alienating customers eventually will have to raise prices or see profits shrink. Rising prices for wine amid declining consumption puts sellers in a tough spot. Wines priced at under $20 will see the biggest percentage difference, according to WSJ. European wines account for about 17% of total US wine volume, according to data from the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America’s SipSource.

• New data from drinks data provider IWSR shows that while Americans say they are drinking less, actual consumption has only slightly declined, with weekly averages hovering around 10 to 12 drinks per adult since the 1970s. Still, broader trends, such as fewer adults identifying as drinkers (down to 54% to the lowest in decades) and growing health concerns, signal a slow but steady cultural shift. For liquor stores, this means flat or slightly declining alcohol demand, particularly among younger consumers who are increasingly turning to non-alcoholic alternatives. Wholesalers and retailers may see reduced foot traffic and smaller basket sizes, especially in beer and spirits categories. At the same time, the rise of alcohol-free products presents an opportunity for stores that diversify into non-alcoholic beverages to offset losses. Overall, retailers face a gradual erosion of traditional sales, requiring adaptation to evolving consumer preferences.
• Producer prices for beer, wine, and liquor retailers jumped 7.8% in November compared to a year ago after falling 1.6% in the previous November-versus-November annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The retail price of alcoholic beverages for home consumption rose less dramatically, up just 1.2% year over year in November, with prices of beer, spirits, and wine all rising, according to the Labor Department's November 2025 Consumer Price Index report. Employment by beer, wine, and liquor stores was flat YoY in November, while the average industry wage rose 5.4% over the same period to $20.07 per hour, two cents shy of its record high in October, BLS data show.