CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Sales of liquor in P.E.I.’s corporate stores have taken a hit since restrictions around the coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) pandemic came into effect last month.
According to figures provided to The Guardian by the P.E.I. Liquor Control Commission on Friday, approximate sales between March 25 and 31 dropped by almost $914,000 compared to the same time period in 2019.
It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise considering that was the time period during which, of the 17 corporate stores, only one was open for a single day on March 25 while two others subsequently opened on March 28.
Between March 25-31, the corporate stores pulled in about $267,000 in sales compared to $1,181,000 during the same period in 2019 when all of its stores were open.
As for the agency stores, Jamie MacLeod, acting CEO of the P.E.I. Liquor Control Commission, said since they are privately operated, the commission is bound by confidentiality and can’t release specific numbers.
“It would be at the discretion of each operator if they wish to release their sales figures,’’ MacLeod said.
The value of purchases from the commission by licensed establishments — such as restaurants, bars and agency stores — is about $520,000 more for the April 1 to March 31 fiscal-year period from a year ago.
Between March 25-31 this year, licensees purchased from the commission about $274,000 worth of product compared to $246,000 in 2019.
The licensees fared out rather well between March 20-24 this year. That was when all of the corporate stores were closed.
Sales at the corporate stores during those days last month was a flat zero, obviously, compared to $891,000 in sales during the same time period in 2019.
However, licensees were busy, purchasing $473,000 worth of product, compared to the $217,000 in purchases they did during the same time period in 2019.
MacLeod also pointed out some other numbers from its past two fiscal years. The commission’s fiscal year runs April 1 to March 31.
In 2019-20, between April 1 and March 19 — a time when both the corporate and agency stores were open — corporate sales hit an estimated $83.5 million (these numbers have not yet been audited) while licensee purchases were about $20.6 million. By comparison, in 2018-19, corporate sales were around $77.9 million while licensee purchases were about $20.3 million.
