Your local grocery store won’t be forced to collect empties after all Artwork

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Your local grocery store won’t be forced to collect empties after all

November 28, 2025 • Village Media Inc.

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Cheers to compromise.

Ontario grocers and The Beer Store have reached a tentative deal on a problem that’s been brewing for months: Who is going to collect your empties?

As of Jan. 1, grocery stores across the province were supposed to be ready to accept empty alcohol containers — all part of the Ford government’s expansion of booze sales to grocery and convenience stores.

Grocers big and small were never keen on the plan, citing increased costs — not to mention the health and safety risks of having dirty, empty containers near food and other items. In fact, some grocers had threatened to cancel their liquor-selling licences if a compromise wasn’t reached.

This week, all sides reached an agreement in principle.

The details are still being worked out, but here’s the gist: consumers will continue to exchange empties for their deposits at Beer Store locations, while grocers pay the brewers a fee depending on how much alcohol they sell at their stores.

Joining us on tonight’s Closer Look to help break down all the details is Gary Sands, vice-president of policy and advocacy with the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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