Liquor sales in the state increased

Iowans are drinking more beer, wine and hard liquor. Lynn Walding of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Divisions says the figures from the fiscal year that ended June 30th shows record consumption.He says the state eclipsed last year’s record dollar sales of 114 million dollars of alcohol by seven million dollars in wholesale sales. He says that’s up six-point-two-five percent. Walding says only part of the dollar increase can be attributed to the increasing cost of booze. He says the gallons of alcohol consumed were up four-point-seven-two percent. The new fiscal year started July 1st, and Walding says the sales trend is continuing. He says sales so far in July are up four and a half percent. Walding says there are several factors pushing the increased alcohol sales. He says people are staying inside the state when they travel, premium products are selling more, and there’s the “Baby Boomer Echo” in which there are more and more people of legal drinking age.