CVS has been in operation since 1963. Today, CVS stores can be found in all 50 states and are the 7th largest company in terms of annual revenue. CVS stores offer a wide variety of products for consumers. But does CVS sell alcohol?
Does CVS Sell Alcohol?
Yes, CVS sells alcohol such as beer and wine. Beer and wine are more readily available because many of the laws governing alcoholic beverages are much stricter on hard liquor.
If you do not see alcohol offered at your local CVS, it may be because the state or local laws either prevent or simply do not make profitable the selling of alcohol in their location.
Keep in mind that city and county laws also exist that cover the sale of alcoholic products. So, it is possible that locations in the same state, but in different counties have different laws covering such sales.
Learn more: check to see if CVS’s competitor Walgreens sells Alcohol.
What Types of Alcohol Does CVS Sell?
For the most part, CVS sells beer and wine. This is because both products fall outside the strictest state laws for the selling of alcohol. In other words, it is considerably easier to sell beer and wine because of their lower alcohol amount compared to hard liquors.
Depending on the state or county it is possible that some CVS locations sell hard liquor.
CVS tends to sell the most recognizable brands of beer, such as Budweiser, Busch, and Coors. Keep in mind that some popular beers tend to be regional in their sales.
This means that depending on your location, different beer brands will be featured in each store. In addition, CVS stores may also carry local craft beers that are created nearby.
Like beer, the most popular brands of wine are also sold at CVS. Plus, if the store is located near a winery, then it may sell that as well.
You will need to check with the local store to see what they carry in terms of their beer and wine.
What is Required to Buy Alcohol at CVS?
You will need to be of legal drinking age and have a photo ID as proof. Depending on the state, the legal drinking age may differ, so check with your local and state laws to be sure that you can purchase alcoholic beverages.
If you are from out of state, your driver’s license should be proof enough.
ID is required to buy alcohol at CVS. This may include driver’s licenses, military IDs, government IDs, or IDs that are issued by tag agencies for those who do not drive. You will need to check with the CVS store to see which type of ID is acceptable.
Can You Use a Self-Checkout to Buy Alcohol at CVS?
You cannot use a self-checkout to purchase alcohol at a CVS unless you can verify your age with a photo ID. If you were to run the alcoholic beverage over the scanner, it would ask you to verify your age and normally require a store attendant to secure the verification.
In other words, the honor system does not apply at CVS locations or any other location when it comes to the sale of alcohol.
Depending on the locality or the state, the process of verification may be slightly different.
But generally speaking, if you purchase alcohol at a self-checkout, the process will stop until your photo ID can be verified by a store attendant or clerk.
What Time Does CVS Stop Selling Alcohol?
This question again depends on the locality, county, or state in which the CVS operates. For CVS store managers, beer and wine sales may be sold as long as the store is open.
However, certain areas of the country have laws about when alcoholic products can be sold. This includes curfews which restrict the time of alcohol sales.
Plus, some states, counties, or localities do not allow for alcohol sales on Sundays.
Since the answer to the question of when CVS locations can sell alcohol depends on where the store is, it is best to ask yourself to see if there are any restrictions.
Most CVS locations will have any restrictions on selling alcohol at the checkout counter or posted where the alcoholic beverages are stocked.
Can You Return Alcohol to CVS?
As with any consumable, you can return alcoholic beverages to CVS as long as you have your receipt as proof of purchase and that the product is unopened. This means that if you ‘crack a beer, you can no longer return the beer to the store.
Even if the beer has spoiled or otherwise been compromised. Return of consumables for beer, wine, and all food and beverage products depends on whether they have been opened or not.
Un-opened beer or wine containers can be re-sold, which is why they are returnable. Therefore, you should inspect the cans, bottles, or cartons before making your purchase.
If you see any damage, you can inform the store attendant or manager and then select another product that is not compromised.
Learn more: Check to see if you can return alcohol to Costco or Target.
Can I Buy Alcohol at CVS?
Yes, you can go to any CVS that offers alcohol as part of its products for sale to the public. This means that you can buy beer and wine at most CVS locations. Depending on the part of the country and the rules of the store there may be hard liquor for sale as well.
For those who are looking for a convenient location to purchase beer and wine, CVS stores should have them in stock across most of the country.
Keep in mind that there may be restrictions on the time that the product can be sold in CVS locations. Plus, some states may have laws that restrict the days on which alcoholic beverages can be purchased.
This includes Sunday and perhaps certain days such as when elections are held.
Learn more: see if retails like Walmart, convenience stores like 7-Eleven, and grocery stores like Aldi sell Alcohol.
