Alcohol Control System
The laws and regulations of a State that specify who may distribute alcoholic beverages. An alcohol control system subsumes a wholesale level and a retail level.
Beverage Subtype
A beverage type with a specific alcohol content or range of alcohol content - e.g., beer with less than 7 percent alcohol.
Beverage Type
Major classifications of alcoholic beverages (based on ingredients or methods of production). The APIS analysis of Alcohol Control Systems considers three beverage types: beer, wine, and spirits.
Contract Store
An off-premises retail alcohol outlet operated on behalf of the State under a State-run system by a private contractor who may be paid a fee or commission. May also be referred to as an "Agency Store."
Note: Contrasts with Licensee (see below) in that the contract store operates as an agent of the State.
Licensee
A private business licensed by the jurisdiction to sell alcoholic beverages at retail or wholesale.
License System
A system in which a State licenses private vendors to operate wholesale or retail systems of distribution of an alcoholic beverage type or subtype. Also called a private system.
Mixed/Not Overlapping
A system in which some beverage subtypes are sold through the State-run system and other beverage subtypes are sold through the license system, but none are sold through both. Used to describe Overall Systems (see Variables).
Mixed/Overlapping
A system in which some or all beverage subtypes are sold through both the State-run and license systems. Used to describe Overall Systems (see Variables).
Off-Premises Sales
Retail sale of sealed containers of alcoholic beverages for consumption elsewhere than the premises where the beverages are purchased.
On-Premises Sales
Retail sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises where the beverages are purchased (e.g., bars, restaurants).
Retail
The sale of alcoholic beverages directly to consumers.
State-Run System
An alcohol control system for wholesale and/or off-premises retail distribution of an alcoholic beverage type or subtype in which a State sets the prices of and gains profit/revenue directly from wholesale and/or retail off-premises sales (rather than solely from taxation).[1] A State may own and operate the wholesale business or retail stores itself or it may contract with a private vendor while maintaining control over pricing and profits through the contractual relationship. In the latter case, the private contractor may be paid a fee or commission. State-run alcohol control systems are also referred to as monopoly systems, and States with these systems are sometimes referred to as control States.
State Store
An off-premises retail alcohol outlet operated directly by a State under a State-run system.
Wholesale
The resale of alcoholic beverages obtained from a producer or distributor to a retailer.