Published on behalf of Holidays mean big money for retailers and in hard economic times, retailers are doing more and more to attract buyers. One clever way to get a customer into the holiday spirit is to offer beer, wine and even liquor. This not only keeps shoppers in the store, but gets them into the buying mood.
This year, we’ve seen several local stores host a men’s night out and serve light refreshments as well as beer, wine and even shots of alcohol. In fact, one store had a local distillery offering “tastings” of their locally made alcohol. There is no better way to get buyers in the mood to shell out big bucks for gifts.
The problem with serving alcohol in a retail establishment is two-fold:
1. Shoppers may consume too much alcohol to be able to drive home safely.
When stores serve beer, wine and liquor for free, they can certainly expect that a shopper may become too intoxicated to drive home safely. In this kind of situation, a store may be liable for allowing alcohol to be served to a shopper who is already visibly intoxicated. So, if that shopper then leaves and gets into an accident and injures themselves or others, the store may be liable.
2. Shoppers may be less aware of slip and fall or trip and fall hazards in and around the store.
Around the holidays, stores set up displays like Christmas trees and elaborate displays replete with flashing lights, bulbs and larger than life Santas, elves, etc. Alcohol will certainly make shoppers less inclined to notice potential fall down accident hazards, like an uncovered extension cord or a puddle of water on the floor. Read more about holiday displays and fall down accident hazards.
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