Listen to this article
Estimated 3 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
The customer experience at a New Brunswick Liquor store has been straightforward for nearly 30 years: the price on the shelf is the one people pay at the cash register.
That’s going to change as soon as this fall, when the Crown corporation eliminates taxes-included pricing in corporate and agency stores.
This is being done to match what happens in grocery stores, where the HST and deposit charges are added at the cash register.
“This change will help [N.B. Liquor] align with standard retail practice; most retail stores do not display “all-in” pricing on the shelf, and in fact our grocery partners are already using this approach,” N.B. Liquor said in a statement.
“This will ensure consistency across our retail network and reduce confusion for customers.”
The statement didn’t say how N.B. Liquor determined there was customer confusion over the all-in pricing.
CBC News could not get an interview with anyone at the corporation.
WATCH | What do customers think? :
Cheaper booze? Don’t let the price tag fool you
N.B. Liquor will eliminate long-standing taxes-included pricing in corporate and agency stores to match with the experience at grocery stores.
Rothesay resident Craig Pinhey, who writes about beer, wine and spirits, and is a judge in national competitions, understands the planned change but does wonder about an ulterior motive with the price of alcohol products on the rise.
“I like that when the price you see is what you’re paying … I don’t want this [change] to happen. But I guess I can see what the argument would be,” he said.
“The cynic in me would say they just want the prices to look lower because prices have gone up so much lately that it gives a little incentive for people to buy a more expensive product than they would otherwise.”
Rothesay resident Craig Pinhey, who writes about beer, wine and spirits, said he understands the planned change but suspects the motive isn’t customer confusion. (Mark Leger/CBC)
In its release, N.B. Liquor said customers will still not see increased prices as a result of the change in the pricing model.
“The price will look different on the shelf, customers will still pay the same price at the checkout as they usually do,” it said.
Fredericton resident Damian Bilodeau likes the simplicity of tax-included pricing, but he’s ultimately fine with the planned shift to calculating the final price at the cash register.
“It was kind of nice to see the price and you just go to the counter … you don’t have to worry about any of that,” he said.
“I think there will be a lot of people that will be outraged, they don’t like taxes already. Personally, I don’t think I’ll be too broken up because I buy it sometimes from Sobeys too.”
N.B. Liquor currently uses tax-inclusive price tags. (Hannah Rudderham/CBC)
Brett Hood, who also lives in Fredericton, said he’d like to see the entire retail world embrace tax-include pricing, rather than see N.B. Liquor embrace the standard practice of calculating additional charges and taxes at the register.
“It would be better if all stores went the opposite approach and had all-inclusive prices on the shelf for everything,” he said. “In a lot of other countries, especially across Europe, the price you see at the cash is the price you see at the shelf.”
N.B. Liquor expects the changes to be in place in the fall.