Harrisburg, Pa. –The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) set three new sales records as 2015 drew to a close, achieving the highest one-day sales, highest single-month sales, and highest sales through the first half of a fiscal year in Pennsylvania history.
On Dec. 31, 2015, PLCB sales totaled $26.3 million (including sales and liquor taxes), an increase of $2.06 million, or 8.5 percent, over the previous one-day sales record set on Dec. 31, 2014.
December 2015 achieved a new record for highest monthly sales in PLCB history – $310.3 million in total sales, including taxes. This is an increase of $15.4 million, or 5.2 percent, more than the previous monthly sales record set in December 2014. The monthly sales growth was bolstered by higher special liquor order (SLO) sales, which totaled $10.2 million in December, an increase of $1 million or 11 percent over SLO sales in December 2014.
Sales for the first six months of fiscal year 2015-16 totaled $1.29 billion including taxes, surpassing sales for the same period the prior year by $46.73 million, or 3.8 percent.
The busiest hour on New Year’s Eve 2015 at Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores across Pennsylvania was between 3:00 and 3:59 P.M., when products totaling $3.2 million, including taxes, were sold.
“New Year’s Eve is always a highlight of the year for wine and spirit sales, but we saw an exceptional end to 2015,” said PLCB Chairman Tim Holden. “We have taken a number of steps to improve customer convenience and the buying experience, and these steps are paying off in increased sales.”
Many PLCB stores stayed open until 9:00 P.M. on Dec. 31 this year, allowing customers more time to shop in advance of New Year’s celebrations. Additionally, the PLCB continues to increase the number of wine specialists available to answer consumers’ questions; remodel store interiors to become warm, welcoming shopping atmospheres; co-locate stores in shopping plazas with grocery stores, large retail chains and ample parking; and improve the customer experience through in-store education efforts, sales promotions and product variety.
As a result of positive sales growth, the agency remitted more than $261 million in sales and liquor taxes to the commonwealth, an increase of $9.6 million, or 3.8 percent, over the first six months of 2014-15.
Sales and tax figures are preliminary until audited.
The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide and licenses more than 20,000 beverage alcohol producers and retailers. Taxes and store profits – totaling more than $14.5 billion since the agency’s inception – are returned to Pennsylvania’s General Fund, and the PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.state.pa.us.
