Surprised.
That's the best way to describe what Kandyce Meili, general manager of Local Buzz Liquor, felt when the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority listed 54 American-owned liquor brands that would be pulled off the shelves due to the ongoing trade war with the United States. She felt the same way when the ban was lifted yesterday.
"We were definitely surprised when it first came out last week. There wasn't a lot of notice and it was just an announcement that happened. [We] definitely had to deal with how we were going to go forward and not having the beer brands available for the customers that like it. And just like we were shocked then, we were shocked today when we got the reversal announcement," Meili noted.
The provincial liquor collective, who supplies alcohol to all stores, sent a list of brands that would be affected by the trade war to retailers last week. SLGA planned on stopping all orders of the following 54 brands, making stock scarce for retailers. The only problem? They're all made and bottled in Canada, with some using Canadian crops in its process.
In a statement released yesterday, SLGA acknowledged the public's concerns and has shifted its focus to US-produced alcohol.
"Well, if you take a look in our cooler, where we're missing a bunch of beer in there because it was bought out this weekend, they're very popular," Meili expressed.
Beer and ready-to-drink products were the most affected in the short-lived ban. While 100% Canadian alternatives exist alongside those listed, she noted that consumers aren't willing to switch so easily. "Beer brands are an interesting thing. People are loyal to their brands and it takes a lot to switch someone. I think if this had went on, we would see some of that, but luckily we don't have to worry about that anymore."
Meili noted that the liquor brands that were on the chopping block won't be going away any time soon from her store. She expressed that customers are starting to stock up on their alcohol, as the season gets warmer and the snow melts even further.