In accordance with the Interim Standards, no one may advertise or promote liquor or the availability of liquor unless the advertising is conducted in accordance with the guidelines related to advertising issued by the Registrar.
These guidelines focus on specific concerns regarding advertising liquor. The notes following each guideline assist in interpretation and are by no means exhaustive in their scope.
It is the responsibility of manufacturers and liquor sales licensees to ensure that advertising carrying their business or brand name, or endorsed by them, falls within the parameters set out in the regulations and in these guidelines.
Advertising that is beyond the permissible scope may result in regulatory action including the issuance of an order of cessation by the Registrar. Violations of the LLCA, the regulations enacted thereunder or standards and requirements established by the Registrar may result in compliance or enforcement action.
Proposed advertising should be considered on the basis of both the express as well as any implied message that is conveyed. The guidelines apply to all aspects of the advertisement such as the more obvious copy, graphics, lyrics, script and video, as well as the less obvious but influential aspects such as background music, voice inflection, etc.
Manufacturers and liquor sales licensees are responsible for all advertising (including merchandise) bearing their identification including corporate or brand identification that is displayed or distributed by any person. This will include all authorized advertising done on a manufacturer’s or sales licensee’s behalf. The manufacturer or liquor sales licensee is not responsible where it has not authorized advertising and has been diligent in its efforts at stopping the advertising once it has become aware of it. The manufacturer or liquor sales licensee must show it has exercised reasonable care and employed suitable precautions to ensure compliance.
Interpretations of the guidelines may be published from time to time.
The following directives provide guidance for Liquor Sales Licensees and Manufacturers, including holders of a By-The-Glass Endorsement, on practices that may tend to encourage the immoderate consumption of liquor. Liquor sales licensees are prohibited from engaging in or permitting practices that may tend to encourage patrons’ immoderate consumption of liquor by section 24 of Regulation 746/21 under the Liquor Licence and Control Act.
Liquor sales licensees in Ontario are required to offer, promote, sell, and serve liquor in accordance with these directives.
A serving of liquor is defined as follows:
Liquor prices must be the same for all patrons. A licensee is required to offer uniform liquor pricing to all patrons. Promotions that target certain segments of the population, such as students or women, are not permitted. A licensee, however, is permitted to offer different liquor prices in separate locations of their establishment. For example, a licensee may offer liquor prices to patrons in a patio area that are different from those offered in an indoor area or different prices to patrons dining on-site from those purchasing liquor and food for takeout or delivery.
A licensee may accept items such as discounted gift cards for the purchase of liquor and food or other goods or services as long as the items are available to all segments of the population.
The Licensee and event organizer must have a written contract that sets out the price of the food component and the price of the liquor component of the package. The event organizer or the organizer’s delegate must remain on the premises at all times during the event. The Licensee must keep all contracts relating to the event for at least one year after the event takes place and make them readily available for inspection.
Other practices that generally promote immoderate consumption, including the over-service of patrons and permitting contests, challenges and events requiring or encouraging the consumption of liquor, are not permitted and may lead to administrative sanction.
It is also important to note that liquor sales licensees remain under general obligations not to serve intoxicated individuals and/or permit drunkenness in their establishments and must continue to operate in accordance with the other provisions of the Liquor Advertising Guidelines for Liquor Sales Licensees and Manufacturers, as well as all other applicable regulations and laws.
Except for public service advertising, a liquor sales licensee or a manufacturer of liquor may advertise or promote liquor or the availability of liquor only if the advertising:
No person may offer a gift or the opportunity to receive a gift, which requires the purchase of liquor, except for a gift of a nominal value in relation to the regular purchase price of the product.
Within this section, a value added item may have a nominal value not exceeding 20% of the retail value price of the beverage alcohol with which it is included. The value of a gift will be assessed by its ordinary retail value rather than the actual cost to the manufacturer.
furniture |
carpet |
draft equipment |
renovations to premises |
staff uniforms |
dishwashers |
food processing/ handling equipment |
washroom supplies |
principal or special function lighting |
refrigeration equipment |
menus/menu printing |
services (cable TV cleaning painting decorating etc.) |
In accordance with the Interim Standards, no one may advertise or promote liquor or the availability of liquor unless the advertising is conducted in accordance with the guidelines related to advertising issued by the Registrar.
These guidelines focus on specific issues regarding advertising liquor. The notes following each guideline assist in interpretation but are not exhaustive in their scope.
It is the responsibility of ferment on premises licensees and liquor delivery licensees, and special occasion permit holders to ensure that advertising carrying its business or brand name, or endorsed by them, falls within the parameters set out in the regulations and in these guidelines.
Advertising that is beyond the permissible scope may result in regulatory action including the issuance of an order of cessation by the Registrar. Violations of the LLCA, the regulations enacted thereunder or standards and requirements established by the Registrar may result in compliance or enforcement action.
Proposed advertising should be considered on the basis of both the express as well as any implied message that is conveyed. The guidelines apply to all aspects of the advertisement such as the more obvious copy, graphics, lyrics, script and video, as well as the less obvious but influential aspects such as background music, voice inflection, etc.
Ferment on premise licensees and liquor delivery licensees, or special occasion permit holders, are responsible for all advertising (including merchandise) bearing their identification including corporate or brand identification that is displayed or distributed by any person. This will include all authorized advertising done on a manufacturer’s or sales licensee’s behalf. Ferment on premise licensees and liquor delivery licensees, or special occasion permit holders, are not responsible where the advertising has not been authorized by the Licensee or permit holder, and the Licensee or permit holder has been diligent in its efforts at stopping the advertising once it has become aware of it.
Ferment on premise licensees and liquor delivery licensees, or special occasion permit holders, must show they have exercised reasonable care and taken suitable precautions to ensure compliance.
Interpretations of the guidelines may be published from time to time.
A Permit Holder for a private event special occasion permit is not permitted to advertise or promote liquor or the availability of liquor.
Except for public service advertising, a ferment on premises licensee or liquor delivery licensee or special occasion permit must ensure that any proposed advertising:
In accordance with the Interim Standards, no one may advertise or promote liquor or the availability of liquor unless the advertising is conducted in accordance with the guidelines related to advertising issued by the Registrar.
These guidelines focus on specific concerns regarding advertising of beer, wine and/or cider, the availability of beer, wine and/or cider and the sale of beer, wine and/or cider. The notes following each guideline assist in interpretation but are not exhaustive in their scope.
It is the responsibility of grocery stores licensees to ensure that advertising carrying their business or brand name, or which they endorsed, falls within the parameters set out in the Act, regulations, requirements standards and enacted by the Registrar, and these guidelines.
Advertising that is beyond the permissible scope may result in regulatory action including the issuance of an order of cessation by the Registrar. Violations of the LLCA, the regulations enacted thereunder or standards and requirements established by the Registrar may result in compliance or enforcement action.
Proposed advertising should be considered on the basis of any conveyed messages, express or implied. The guidelines apply to all aspects of the advertisement, including: grocery flyers and pamphlets, text, graphics, lyrics, scripts, videos, background music, voice inflection, etc.
Grocery store licensees are responsible for all advertising (including merchandise) bearing their identification, including corporate or brand identification that is displayed or distributed by any person. This includes all authorized advertising done on an authorized grocery store’s behalf. The grocery store licensee is not responsible where it has not authorized advertising and has been diligent in its efforts at stopping the advertising once it has become aware of it. The grocery store licensee must demonstrate that it has exercised reasonable care and taken suitable precautions to ensure compliance.
Interpretations of the guidelines may be published from time to time.
The following directives provide guidance in order to identify and prevent practices that may encourage the immoderate consumption of beer, wine or cider.
Except for public service advertising, a grocery store with a Beer and Wine Licence or Beer and Cider Licence may advertise or promote beer, wine and/or cider or the availability of beer, wine and/or cider only if the advertising:
No well-known personality may be used in beer, wine or cider advertising who may reasonably be expected to appeal, either directly or indirectly, to persons under the legal drinking age if the advertisement contains any direct or indirect endorsement of beer, wine or cider or the consumption of beer, wine or cider. This may include historical, political, religious and cultural figures, as well as celebrities and sports figures. (This would not apply to public service advertisements provided there is no direct or indirect endorsement or consumption of beer, wine or cider by the well-known personality.)
Portrayals of well-known personalities which would generally be prohibited due to the potential that the personality may appeal to persons under the legal drinking age may be used provided the use of the personality is incidental to the advertisement and the use of the personality does not make the advertisement appealing to persons under the legal drinking age.
Wineries operating with a wine boutique endorsement in grocery stores should refer the Guidelines for Liquor Sales Licensees and Manufacturers in the AGCO.
Except for public service advertising, a winery authorized to sell wine in a wine boutique at a grocery store may advertise or promote wine or the availability of wine only if the advertising adheres to these directives.