FTC Says Small Liquor Stores Paid Up to 67% More for the Same Bottles — Southern Glazer’s Settles Case

The FTC alleged some independent retailers paid Southern Glazer’s 12% to 67% more than large chains for identical bottles of certain wine and spirits. A proposed settlement will restrict qualifying price discrimination for six years. ENYO/Shutterstock

Small independent liquor stores allegedly paid substantially more than major chains for identical bottles of wine and spirits, and a new Federal Trade Commission settlement is designed to restrict that pricing practice for the next six years.

The Federal Trade Commission announced Oct. 2 that it reached a settlement with Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits LLC, the nation’s largest wine and spirits distributor, resolving a lawsuit the agency filed in 2024.