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HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | FEBRUARY 6, 2022 29 OTHER VOICES It's time to allow grocery stores to sell wine By Wayne Pesce A s the law exists in Connecticut today, grocery stores are allowed to sell beer but not wine. This negatively impacts hundreds of thousands of weekly grocery store customers who don't have the option to buy a bottle of wine where and when they purchase food. Instead, one protected retail class of trade is allowed a monopoly at the expense of our state's food retailers. This policy is rooted in the Prohibition Era, and there is no compelling reason for it in present day Connecticut. It protects no one, and it inconveniences nearly every Connecticut consumer who considers wine to be part of the preparation of a good meal. It's time to change the law. According to a study by the Univer- sity of Connecticut's Zwick Center on Food and Resource Policy, 84% of Connecticut residents surveyed think it makes sense to allow grocery store wine sales. First and foremost, it is a matter of convenience. Currently, state residents can purchase wine only in package stores. This used to be the case for beer, but that law changed with no measurable negative effect on society or small retailers. Sunday sales of beer, wine and liquor were once banned as well. When the Sunday sales ban was lifted, sales increased — as did the number of package stores in Connecticut. There are other compelling reasons to allow wine sales in grocery stores, and they all relate to the state's economy and health of the state budget. For instance, wine is subject to the state sales tax. The Zwick Center study projects that grocery store wine sales would increase tax revenue to the state by almost $2 million per year over the next 20 years and almost twice that amount in the following decades. This new source of revenue helps everyone by funding important government initiatives and elimi- nating the need for new taxes in other areas or on other items. Research shows allowing the sale of wine in grocery stores will lead to an increase in the sale of related items, including bread, cheese, flowers and specific foods that are often paired with wine. Increasing the amount of retail space dedicated to wine sales in Connecticut — whether that is in a package store or grocery store — opens up new markets for the sale of wines produced in Connecticut, which in turn provides an incentive for Connecticut wineries to expand and hire new employees. For years, lobbyists working for package stores and their distributors have fought against changing this law and in favor of special protected status for their clients. This has created a system that favors one type of retailer over another and denies Connecticut consumers the convenience they deserve — the same convenience shoppers in 42 other states enjoy. The evidence clearly shows expanding retail opportunities for wine sales hurts no one. There is no evidence any package stores have ever closed as a result of beer sales in grocery stores or Sunday sales. If anything, the market has only grown. Under the proposed change in Connecticut law, not every grocery store would choose to sell wine and some, such as Target and Walmart, will continue to be prohibited because food sales make up less than 50% of their overall business. Package stores would still have a distinct advantage over grocery stores when it comes to the variety of wine in stock and the expertise of staff. Grocery store sales serve only as a matter of convenience and would not be a market-altering policy change. Wayne Pesce of Middlebury is president of the Connecticut Food Association. Wayne Pesce 'Message, I care:' Actions, not words, make valuable community connections By Brian Flaherty L ooking back at President George H.W. Bush, most would agree he was a remark- ably effective leader in deed — but not in word. Bush often joked, at his own expense, that he was far from "The Great Communicator" that his predecessor Ronald Reagan was — so much so that during a stump speech in his ill-fated reelec- tion campaign amid 1992's weak economy, the exas- perated, tongue-tied 41st president blurted out, "Message, I care." He truly did, but people didn't buy it — possibly because his saying so didn't paint that picture in American voters' minds, or because future President Bill Clinton's laser-focused "It's the economy, stupid," message was on target. In the end, Bush was never able to reconnect with an American public that had previously given him soaring approval ratings for his lead- ership on the world stage through the first Gulf War, the collapse of the Berlin Wall and domestic achieve- ments that included the Americans with Disabilities Act and revamping the Clean Air Act. The economy was hurting, the nation felt it and saying "I care" just didn't cut it. Herein lies a lesson for today's business leaders looking to connect with the people and places where they live and work. Whether you call it community relations, corporate social respon- sibility or "giving back," there are effective ways to make sure your neighbors, current and potential customers, employees and other important stakeholders know that you care. Here are four ways: Create shared value: This is the best description and approach I have seen. Far from simply passing out donations or "corporate giving," CEOs who create shared value convey the notion that by operating in a community, providing productive jobs to their employees and the employees at the partner companies in their value and supply chain, they are creating value for both their company and their community. Connect by doing what you do best: We often advise our clients to find ways to create shared value that connects to their core business. A financial institution, for example, found ways to promote financial literacy and teach people how to build good financial habits. A world- class manufacturer made a differ- ence locally by supporting robotics, coding and STEM programs through company volunteers. Both companies made a much more meaningful connection to their communities and a greater impact than had they simply written an oversized check. Engage your community: Create a program that spotlights and supports local causes by connecting your company's people with the communities where you operate. For example, ask your customers, employees or neighbors to nominate and help you choose awardees to gain their emotional stake in the program's success. This approach helps strengthen your partnerships immeasurably and multiplies your impact by showing how others beyond your company can help, too. Show, tell and share your story: The people who matter the most to you — your current and future employees, customers and part- ners — like to see a company that is as committed to the future of their community as they are. Whichever approach you choose to make your own, do it, show it, tell it and share it. History has been kind to Bush 41, because what he accomplished — and how he did it — connected Americans to who he was. It's no different with companies looking to make a difference in their communities. If you're able to do equal parts of do, show, tell and share — you won't have to wait as long as he did to be seen and known as impactful and an organization that truly cares by creating shared value. Brian Flaherty is the executive vice president of Hartford-based Sullivan & LeShane Public Relations Inc. Brian Flaherty