André Drolet: Friend And Hope Of Depanneurs

Did you know that in Quebec, convenience stores are still legally obliged to lock their beer fridges after 11 pm and to cover their cases of beer on the floor with a canvas with chains and padlocks?

Not only is this regulation in effect, but no convenience store in Quebec respects it, even among major retailers! And this doesn’t raise an eyebrow.

This doesn’t make any sense. Fortunately, a man is about to put an end to such absurdities and possibly to boost the category of alcohol sales in convenience stores.

This man is none other than André Drolet, a friend of depanneurs and a hope for the whole convenience store industry.

Liberal member of Jean-Lesage – a riding within Quebec City – for nearly 10 years, the man is very friendly, engaging, listening and humble.

But most importantly, he knows very well the convenience store industry and even lots of owners personnally, having worked 12 years as sales manager at Alex Coulombe Ltée (Pepsi).

He is most probably the key to finally bringing about a much-awaited modernization of the RACJ, for it was to him that Prime Minister Couillard entrusted this important mission that was always falling through the cracks.

The RACJ is the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux. It exercises a strong control over the convenience store business because it has the upper hand on the sale of alcohol (issuance and revocation of permits, minimum price of beer, regulation of opening hours and others) as well as advertising contests. For 30 years now, this piece of regulation has not been reviewed and it shows.

Because although there is consensus to act, there is always something more urgent to deal with.

When the Liberals were in opposition, in 2013, Beauce-Sud MP Robert Dutil proposed a private bill, but because it came from the opposition, the PQ government at the time did not want to touch it.

Then, once in power, the Liberals always had better things to do.

Against this backdrop, handing over this mandate to André Drolet was a stroke of genius, because he is greatly appreciated by his fellow MPs and he has the support of the industry.

Thus, last fall, Mr. Drolet conducted a consultation with industry players (convenience store associations, companies, etc.).

Then, in the last budget of Minister Carlos Leitão, Quebec confirmed that it wanted to modernize the RACJ to “change the institution’s institutional culture” and, above all, “to revise the regulation and supervision of alcoholic beverages” which has been demanded for several years by the industry, as well as “ensuring better follow-up with industry on core issues”.

Finally, last March, André Drolet presented his report to the caucus of Liberal MPs and indicated that he wanted to make it public in the following weeks, most probably in the coming days or weeks.

For many years, the industry has been demanding several reforms:

  • Expand the hours of sale of alcohol from 6 am until 3 am (unlike 8 am to 11 pm at the moment);
  • Abolish the obsolete regulation of “locking up beer fridges” outside the legal hours of sales
  • Increase the minimum price of beer faster to reflect the food price index, not the general price index
  • Prevent the minimum price from being easily circumvented by cross-promotions (such as “buy a case and get a free pizza”)
  • Maintain the 51% rule of food skus content to get a grocery liquor license (and thus continue to prevent Walmart from selling beer)

Will the government that has opened the sale of Quebec wines in groceries without going through the SAQ, will boost the beer and liquor sector in depanneurs during the same mandate?

The moment of truth is approaching: will André Drolet, friend and hope of the convenience stores, deliver the goods?

Certainly, we could not possibly rely on a better person!

 

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