Seeing wine in grocery stores hangs in the balance as Proposition 125 is still too close to call

COLORADO — The fate of wine being sold in Colorado grocery stores is still unclear as Proposition 125 is too close to call Wednesday.

As of Thursday afternoon, Proposition 125 sits at a 50/50 splitwith 1,059,492 votes against the measure and 1,058,847 votes in favor.

Proposition 125, if passed, will allow for large grocery stores like Safeway and King Soopers to carry wine for sale. If passed, wine will begin to hit the shelves of grocery stores by March of 2023.

In the local area, the passage of this proposition has some raised some concerns. Local liquor and wine shops have expressed their concern over what this will mean for the smaller, locally owned stores.

If this law fails to pass, this will not be the end of Wine and Liquor in grocery stores. Colorado lawmakers passed a law in 2016to begin selling full-strength beer, wine, and liquor in grocery stores through a phased-in approach.

Grocery stores around the state began to sell full-strength beer starting in 2019. Some stores already have wine and liquor. The plan passed in 2016 allows wine and liquor in all stores by 2037.

So while Proposition 125 may fail in the 2022 election, the conversation of wine and liquor on grocery store shelves is one that will come up in the future again.

You can stay up to date on the proposition 125 election results here.

News5 is helping you prepare for Election 2022 with guides to find out what's on the ballot, what it means to you, and where to deliver your ballot across the region. Click here for our Election Guide.

_____

Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.