Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Achieves Multiple Sales Records in Late 2016

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) set new sales records in the last several weeks of 2016, achieving the highest one-day sales, highest single-month sales, and highest sales through the first half of a fiscal year in Pennsylvania history.

Sales on Friday, Dec. 23, 2016, totaled $27.4 million (including sales and liquor taxes), $1 million or 3.9 percent higher than the previous one-day sales record set on Dec. 31, 2015.

"While New Year's Eve is often our busiest wine and spirit sales day, the 2016 calendar put both Christmas and New Year's Day on Sundays, allowing customers to spread out their holiday buying," said PLCB Chairman Tim Holden.  "But as we've seen in past years, holiday celebrations that began in November built into a December sales crescendo."

December 2016 achieved a new record for highest monthly sales in PLCB history – $327.3 million in total sales, including taxes. This is an increase of $17.1 million, or 5.5 percent, more than the previous monthly sales record set in December 2015.

Sales for the first six months of fiscal year 2016-17 totaled $1.35 billion including taxes, surpassing sales for the same period the prior year by $58.6 million, or 4.5 percent. 

During that time, the PLCB remitted more than $273.9 million in sales and liquor taxes to the commonwealth, an increase of $12.7 million, or 4.8 percent, over the first six months of 2015-16.

The top three sales days in 2016 and 2015 are compared below.  Sales figures include taxes.

Sales and tax figures are preliminary until audited.

The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits – totaling $15.1 billion since the agency's inception – are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.pa.gov.

MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Brassell, 717.783.8864

SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board

Related Links

http://www.lcb.pa.gov