Lawsuit: Iowa illegally marked up liquor prices for years
- Thread starter AgronAlum
- Start date
Iowa sucks. So many taxes. We also lead the country in tickets per capital. Where in the world are they spending all the money?
The state makes like 35 points on every single case that goes out the door. There are no discounts or volume deals provided by the state. It is a sham and this may just be the tip of the iceberg for Iowa to finally become an open market. Between the massive mark up and the taxes, Iowa's liquor prices are absolutely outrageous.
"Todd Halbur, former comptroller of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, alleges in the lawsuit . . ."
Who else learned what a comptroller is from the Simpsons?
https://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/State_Comptroller_Atkins
Who else learned what a comptroller is from the Simpsons?
https://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/State_Comptroller_Atkins
Every time I visit friends in Illinois I stock up on handles of captain. $20 at Jewel Osco compared to $37 here in Iowa. Absolutely insane
After moving to IL for awhile I was pretty stunned how much cheaper some stuff is out there for a state that gets so much **** about their tax rates. Lower income tax, lower prices for booze and tobacco, car registration is a flat $101, etc.
If you're paying $37 in Iowa, you're overpaying. Normal price is probably $28-29 in a supermarket. Costco is probably $27 and supposedly you can buy liquor at a warehouse store without a membership.
But I was stunned to be at a Costco in Minnesota maybe five years ago and saw their typical price for the same thing was $20.
You can go to MN, SD, NE, KS, MO, IL, and WI and find similar pricing. Then there's freaking Iowa who has been ripped off by the state for years.
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The large retailers are able to recoup some dollars directly from the supplier/distillery by purchasing at certain volume levels but the deal has to be approved by the state. This is how HyVee and other large retailers are able to bring their price down some. Go out to rural Iowa to smaller grocery and liquor stores and $37 for a handle of Captain isn't crazy.
Yeah....when I go home (Wisconsin), it's like a free-for-all. Examples: Windsor 1.75L, Iowa Hy-Vee $18.99, Woodman's in Madison $11.99. UV Vodka 1.75L, Hy-Vee $18.99, Woodman's $9.99. It's pretty eye-opening.
Of course, Wisconsin makes tax revenue on liquor simply by volume.
Of course, Wisconsin makes tax revenue on liquor simply by volume.
The state has nothing to do with that sale. Some of the suppliers put together "rebates" for large case quantity buys but I can tell you that large spirits sale in October is a loss for the Urbandale HyVee wine and spirits. It's more so a get people to come to our store type tactic.
sorry, damn finger must have hit it as I was scrolling down on my iPhone.
This is what I was thinking too because even at those deep discounts Hy-Vee still has to be making some profit off it. Ridiculous that they can sell 750ml of Captain for $9.99 which normally is like $17.99 and one of the biggest discounts I found then was Maker's Mark, normally $34.95 was $19.99 on that sale. Crazy mark ups! My uncle from IL said the same thing over Thanksgiving when he went to buy some stuff, he shops at Binny's too and commented how high our prices were to what he pays for normally there.
Loved Binny's when we lived there. Close to Wildfire on W. Erie too, nice 1-2 punch for dinner and hooch.
Anyone got a secluded acreage somewhere? Maybe we could start making our own brand of CF moonshine, lol
Sadly! Ames Hy-vee prices vs Arlington Heights, IL Jewel Osco price. I haven't really looked at the price tag of WDSM Hyvee liquor since I graduated and moved, but I was shocked to see the difference upon my first visit to friends out that way.