Want to create an interactive transcript for this episode?
Podcast: Closer Look
Episode: Battle brewing over grocery stores that don’t want your dirty empties
Description: A big battle is brewing between the Ford government and some independent grocery store owners over who should be responsible for collecting people’s empty booze bottles.By Jan. 1, 2026, all grocery stores licensed to sell beer and wine in Ontario must accept bottle returns as part of Premier Doug Ford’s vision of speeding up the availability of alcohol.But a growing number of independent grocers are deciding to ditch booze sales altogether rather than deal with the mess and hassle of accepting people’s empties. They say they don’t have the spac...