2018 Minimum Price of Beer Increase: Only Costco Will Need To Adjust

On April 1, as every year, the Quebec minimum price of beer will be indexed to inflation and all retailers must comply with it by making sure not to sell their beer cheaper than this basic price.

Indeed, the Régie des alcools, courses et jeux (RACJ) — Quebec’s Liquord Board — announced on March 13 that it will raise the minimum beer prices by 1.6% uniformly according to the various categories of alcohol, as follows:

• $2.908 to $2.9777 per liter for beers with less than 4.1% alcohol by volume;

• $3.0956 to $3.1462 per liter for beers of not less than 4.1% and not more than 4.9%;

• from $3.2112 to $3.266 per liter for beers over 4.9% and not more than 6.2%;

• from $3.3189 to $3.3720 per liter for beers with more than 6.2% alcohol by volume.

Thus, the Quebec minimum price of beer for a 24-pack of Bud Light (4% alcohol) will rise from $23.97 to $24.37, an increase of 40 cents.

That of a 24-pack of Molson Dry (5.5%) will rise from $26.27 to $26.69, an increase of 42 cents.

Now, will this affect current prices? Not necessarily, because the vast majority of retailers already sell their beer well above the minimum price, as we reported in a previous article (see here).

According to DepQuébec‘s most recent beer price survey, only Costco will be forced to raise prices and that, for some products only. See by yourself.

Only cases of 60 cans of Coors Light, Bud Light and Budweiser sold at Costco will need their price to be raised to equal or exceed the new minimum price.

For the rest, it does not change anything, which does not mean that manufacturers and retailers will not take advantage of the increase to raise their own prices on the sly.

This is still indicative of one thing: the time when beer was systematically sold at the minimum price is over. Even Couche-Tard, in its best rebates, offers a 12-pack of cans or bottles at $ 15.99 while the minimum price (Coors Light) is only $ 13.34.

Still, Quebec remains a paradise for affordable beer in Canada, especially when compared to Ontario, which charges much more for its beer because of the inefficient, unfair and unjust monopoly system in place with its “beer stores” specialized in consumer spoliation.

This explains in particular why DepQuébec’s articles about Quebec beer prices and translated into English are among the portal’s most popular outside La Belle Province! Cheers.