Idaho’s Beer and Wine Distributors: Promoting Responsibility in Our Communities highlights the numerous programs beer and wine distributors provide to promote safety and reduce alcohol abuse. Just as alcohol regulations vary from state to state, so do distributor-sponsored responsibility programs. All of the programs, however, share a common goal: to keep the communities where our families live, work and play safe.
Idaho’s licensed, independent beer and wine distributors and their families are citizens in the communities in which their businesses operate. The Idaho men and women of the beer and wine distribution industry and state-based regulation of alcohol play a critical role in the effort to eliminate drunk driving, alcohol abuse and the underage purchase and consumption of alcohol.
Alcohol is not like other consumer goods and can have consequences if abused by adults or consumed illegally by those underage. That is why beer and wine distributors take steps to ensure the safe and legal sale of alcohol and fight efforts to weaken regulations that exist to provide a safe and orderly marketplace.
Beer and wine distributors are licensed at both the state and federal level. They operate within a system controlled by the states which is responsible for regulating alcoholic beverage distribution and administering prevention and treatment activities in communities. This state-based system of alcohol regulation provides a transparent and accountable chain of custody in the sale of beer and wine, making it easier to enforce state laws and local ordinances. The system also regulates retail sales, ensuring that retailers hold the appropriate licenses and do not sell to those under the legal drinking age.
Within the regulatory framework, beer and wine distributors provide not only choice and value in their products but also participate in a wide variety of programs that promote responsible consumption. Programs range from providing free taxi rides home for bar or restaurant patrons to sponsoring alcohol-free after-prom events and producing educational materials to help parents talk to their children about underage drinking. Distributors also promote alcohol education initiatives, such as inviting guest speakers to schools and community centers to share their personal experiences involving alcohol.
The IBWDA and the National Beer Wholesalers Association also encourage parents and community leaders to utilize resources provided by the U.S. Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Web www.stopalcoholabuse.gov includes resources that can assist in educating young people about the dangers of underage drinking and the importance of making healthy choices.
Distributor Sustainability
Distributors across the country are conserving resources in warehouses, on the roads and in the marketplace. Among other sustainable programs, beer and wine distributors are utilizing alternative energy sources by undertaking initiatives that range from energy-saving lighting technologies to fuel-saving hybrid or biodiesel delivery trucks.
Distributors work to streamline the delivery of beer and wine from America’s breweries and wineries and hundreds of beer importers and safely deliver it to licensed retailers around Idaho. Beer and wine distributors organize deliveries with individual suppliers and retailers to avoid logjams in the supply chain which would result in wasted fuel and increased emissions among other significant environmental waste.
Sustainable business practices protect tomorrow’s environment, and they also help to preserve quality jobs in the Idaho beer and wine distribution industry. By implementing sustainable practices, beer and wine distributors will continue to efficiently and responsibly provide a wide variety of beer and wine to American consumers of legal drinking age within an orderly market.