3. Sampling

3.1

Licence to Represent a Manufacturer

Brewery Licence

Distillery Licence

Winery Licence

Product Sampling by a Manufacturer to Patrons in a Licensed Establishment

Where a manufacturer or its representative are purchasing liquor from the holder of a liquor sales licence for a patron to sample the manufacturer’s product on the licensed premises, the manufacturer or its representative shall:

Purchase an individual serving of liquor for a patron and not a round for the house.

Purchase the sample from the liquor sales licensee at the full menu price. Where the manufacturer purchases samples from the liquor sales licensee which are one half the size of servings listed on the menu, or less, manufacturer or its representative must purchase the sample at no less than one half the menu price for the full serving.

The manufacturer or its representative must remain in the licensed premises while the liquor sales licensee or its staff serve samples to patrons.

The manufacturer or its representative may not pay the liquor sales licensee or its staff to purchase or sample drink(s) for patrons.

3.2

Liquor Sales Licence

Product Sampling by a Manufacturer to Patrons in a Licensed Establishment

Where a manufacturer or its representative are purchasing liquor from the holder of a liquor sales licence for a patron to sample the manufacturer’s product on the licensed premises, the liquor sales licensee or its staff must serve the sample to a patron and remain responsible for compliance with all aspects of the Act, the regulations and the Interim Standards established by the Registrar.  

3.3

Licence to Represent a Manufacturer

Brewery Licence

Distillery Licence

Winery Licence

Off Premises Product Sampling by a Manufacturer to a Liquor Sales Licensee

Where a manufacturer gives liquor to a liquor sales licensee or its employees to sample outside the licensed premises, the manufacturer shall:

Ensure that the liquor sales licensee has not have stocked the manufacturer’s brand in the last twelve (12) months.

Provide the liquor in sealed containers.

In a one-year period, provide no more than the following amounts of any individual brand of liquor to a liquor sales licensee or its employees:

• 48 (355ml) bottles of beer or cooler, or equivalent
• 10 (750ml) bottles of wine, or equivalent
• 3 (750ml) bottles of spirits, or equivalent

Maintain records of the sampling activity for a minimum of one (1) year and make those records available to the Registrar upon request.

Provide prior notice of sampling activities to the Registrar upon request.

3.4

Licence to Represent a Manufacturer

Brewery Licence

Distillery Licence

Winery Licence

Product Sampling by a Manufacturer to a Liquor Sales Licensee on the Licensed Premises

Where a manufacturer or manufacturer’s representative brings liquor onto the premises of a liquor sales licensee for the purposes of sampling by the liquor sales licensee or its employees, the sampling must be conducted in the presence of the manufacturer or its representative.

3.5

Licence to Represent a Manufacturer

Brewery Licence

Distillery Licence

Winery Licence

Product Sampling by a Manufacturer to Individuals

Where a manufacturer or a manufacturer’s representative gives liquor to an individual to sample, the manufacturer or its representative shall:

Distribute the sample or a voucher/coupon for a sample to the individual in person.

If the manufacturer or its representative provides a coupon/voucher for a sample of liquor, ensure that the coupon/voucher may be redeemed only at an LCBO store, a manufacturer’s retail store, or a Brewers Retail Inc. store.

Ensure that the size of a sample for any one individual does not exceed:

• 6 (355ml) bottles of beer or cooler, or equivalent
• 1 (750ml) bottle of wine, or equivalent
• 1 (375ml) bottle of spirits, or equivalent

3.6

Licence to Represent a Manufacturer

Brewery Licence

Distillery Licence

Winery Licence

Product Sampling under Industry Promotional Event Special Occasion Permit

Where a manufacturer or its representatives are providing samples at an industry promotional event, the manufacturer or its representatives shall:

Ensure that sampling is supervised by licensed representatives of manufacturers, manufacturer’s employees or event organizers acting on behalf of either.

In a case where an event organizer has the approval of a manufacturer or licensed representative of a manufacturer to conduct sampling at the industry promotional event, the event organizer shall retain a copy of that approval.

3.7

Licence to Represent a Manufacturer

Brewery Licence

Distillery Licence

Winery Licence

Beer and Cider Grocery Store Licence

Beer and Wine Grocery Store Licence

Wine Boutique Endorsement to an Offsite Winery Retail Store Licence

Product Sampling to Patrons of a Grocery Store or Wine Boutique

Where a licensed grocery store or wine boutique or a manufacturers’ representatives offer samples to patrons of that store, the Licensee offering the samples must:

Provide samples only within a designated area that is adjacent to liquor display area within the grocery store or wine boutique.

Purchase all products used for the sampling from the licensed grocery store or wine boutique.

Retain all receipts of beer, wine and cider purchased for sampling, and make a record of any beer, wine or cider remaining at the conclusion of the sampling. These records must be provided to the Registrar on request.