The battle over whether to allow Colorado supermarkets to sell wine and beer could end up being decided by voters, and opponents are going on the offensive.
Colorado liquor store owners and breweries expect a ballot proposal in the 2016 election and launched an opposition campaign called “Keep Colorado Local” on Thursday.
Colorado Consumers for Choice, a group of retailers, has been raising awareness about what it considers to be unfair liquor laws in the state and has been building a coalition of supporters who would like to see full-strength beer and wine sales in grocery stores. However, the group has not yet developed ballot language, a spokesman said.
Currently, Colorado law allows businesses to have only one liquor license, which has prevented chain stores from selling alcohol.
That has led to a proliferation of small, independently owned liquor stores that, at the Capitol, have fought repeated efforts to change the law.
Organizers of Keep Colorado Local say they’ve gotten strong support from many of the state’s craft brewers, who say the current setup has also helped them grow and offer a variety of high-quality beers.
