State alcohol sales continued on a slight upward trend for the fiscal year that just ended June 30th. Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division spokesperson, Tonya Dusold, says there were no big jumps in the figures for the year.
Dusold says liquor sales were up but not quite 3%, which is about what they’ve seen the last couple of years of slow growth after nearly a decade that saw double-digit sales increases each year. The slower economy saw some alcohol drinkers “trading down” or buying cheaper brands, but Dusold says that trend appears to have leveled off also.
“I’d say that’s kind of evened out, where a few people have probably traded back up a little bit,” Dusold says. She says the amount of gallons sold is up about one percent, with dollar sales up three percent, and that probably shows a few people trading back up and some trading down.
Wine sales rose by about 5%, while beer sales were about the same. Dusold says the increase in wine is about what they’ve seen in the last couple of years, and while preliminary beer sales are projected to be down about two percent, she says that beer sales will most likely end up flat.
Dusold says the final fiscal year numbers won’t be in until September. Overall, Dusold says the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division will be sending a little less money to the state. Dusold says there were total liquor sales of about $210.2 million, and transfers to the state will be about $99.2-million. Dusold says the transfer to the state will be down over 4% compared to the last fiscal year, but she says there is a one-time transfer of some $7-million in the budget that pulled that figure down.