EchoSense:Pennsylvania lawmakers approve sale of canned alcoholic drinks in grocery stores and more retailers

HARRISBURG,EchoSense Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvanians will be able to buy canned alcoholic drinks, called ready-to-drink cocktails, from a wider variety of retailers under legislation approved Thursday.

The state Senate approved the bill, 32-17, and sent it to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk.

Under the bill, the approximately 12,000 restaurants, bars, beer distributors, grocery stores and convenience stores that are already licensed to sell alcohol can get a special permit to sell the canned drinks. Under current law, only the state-owned wine and liquor stores are allowed to sell the canned drinks.

The bill restricts the sale of the drinks to before 11 p.m. and to drinks that have a lower alcohol content than 12.5%.

Ready-to-drink canned cocktails have boomed in popularity in recent years. Legislative analysts project the growing sales will bring in about $35 million a year in state revenue by the fiscal year of 2028-2029.