A coalition of Minnesota’s grocers wants to sell table wine in their stores, and they say most Minnesotans &045; and neighboring states &045;

are on their side.

The Minnesota Grocers Association (MGA) will, for the third time, bring their request to the state legislature when it convenes in January. They will go armed with poll data showing that the majority of the state wants the convenience, and that support has increased as the idea has gotten more publicity, said Nancy Christensen, executive director of the MGA.

&uot;You see more and more people want something like this. They want the convenience,&uot; Christensen said.

The MGA only wants to sell wine, not liquor or strong beer, she said. State law already allows sales of 3.2 beer in grocery stores.

They call their campaign &uot;Wine With Dinner,&uot; emphasizing that wine is typically served with food, which they say is a logical reason wine should be available in grocery stores.

Brad Edwin, store director at Albert Lea Rainbow Foods, has lobbied on behalf of the cause. He said one objection has been the perception that grocery stores can’t handle the security and oversight needed to sell alcohol, but that training and technology can erase those concerns.

&uot;We can have the computer prompt the clerk to ask for ID when a beverage is scanned,&uot; Edwin said. Stores can also set up registers so they require a supervisor to approve any wine sales.

Ongoing training to prevent shoplifting, along with the high level of staffing at grocery stores, can keep wine from being stolen, he said. &uot;There are a lot of eyes at grocery stores,&uot; he said.

The bill also has built-in safeguards.

&uot;We have a very tough bill,&uot; Christensen said. &uot;It would be the toughest in the nation, in terms of responsible bills.&uot;

The law would stipulate mandatory carding, regardless of age, for wine sales in grocery stores; mandatory manager and employee training; required compliance checks; and a customized security plan for each store that sells wine, to be approved by local authorities.

Another argument is that it would hurt liquor stores. Grocers, however, see wine as more of an incidental sale than something that will attract customers away from other stores.

&uot;Liquor stores will still be the destination point for beer and spirits,&uot; Christensen said. Strong beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage, and it will still only be available in liquor stores, she said.

Finally, the grocers point to other states &045; including Wisconsin, Iowa and South Dakota &045; that allow sales of wine in grocery stores and have had success. Wine, and in some cases other alcoholic beverages, can be sold in grocery stores in 33 states.

For more information, visit www.winewithdinner.net.