According to the latest financial report released by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB), Pennsylvanians purchased more wine and liquor in the later months of the pandemic than ever before. Tom Davidson uncorked the details for Trib Live.

Alcohol sales for the fiscal year ending June 30 were $2.9 billion. This is $349.4 million (13.7 percent) higher than in the previous fiscal year.

Sales initially decreased during the pandemic, owing to quarantine shutdowns. That falloff represented the first dip in alcohol sales in 26 years.

Despite the decline, however, the PLCB reported a record net profit of $208.7 million for its fiscal 2019-2020 year.

That performance was once again eclipsed in 2020-2021, when net profit grew to $264.9 million, nearly a 27 percent increase.

“This year, sales rebounded to a new record high,” said PLCB spokesman Shawn Kelly.

The high sales volume helped offset operating expense increases. It also helped offset decreases in revenue from license fees, which the state waived last year.

During last fiscal year, the PLCB contributed $813.4 million to state and local governments, along with $764.8 million in contributions to the state’s general fund.

Read more about the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board report at Trib Live.

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