Big Y Joins Campaign to End Blue Laws 2010-03-15

CAROL ANGRISANI

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Big Y Foods is among the retailers supporting an effort to end Connecticut's prohibition on Sunday alcohol sales.

The retailer provides a link on its website to www.endctbluelaws.org, a movement sponsored by the Connecticut Food Association to end the ban on the Sunday sale of beer, wine and spirits.

“Since Sunday is the busiest or second busiest shopping day of the week, purchasing beer should be allowed,” Peter Dudis, Big Y's grocery sales director, told SN.

Several state mayors are supporting the effort, maintaining that the state could generate up to $8 million in new revenue if the ban on Sunday alcohol sales were repealed.

“We are losing revenue to bordering states,” Dudis said.

Connecticut is the only state in the Northeast, and one of just three states nationwide, that still have Sunday alcohol blue laws in place, according to www.endctbluelaws.org.

Other Connecticut retailers also support the effort.

“Our grocery stores are already open seven days a week, yet we can only sell beer Monday through Saturday,” Timothy Devanney, president of the five-store Highland Park Market, said in a statement. “That doesn't make a lot of sense for our business or for our customers who should have the freedom to buy beer on Sundays.”