Section 80. Advertising materials that may be provided to retailers by manufacturers, importers, bottlers, or wholesalers

A. There shall be no cooperative advertising as between a producer, manufacturer, bottler, importer, or wholesaler and a retailer of alcoholic beverages, except as may be authorized by regulation pursuant to § 4.1-216 of the Code of Virginia. The term "cooperative advertising" shall mean the payment or credit, directly or indirectly, by any manufacturer, bottler, importer, or wholesaler whether licensed in this Commonwealth or not to a retailer for all or any portion of advertising done by the retailer.

B. Manufacturers or their authorized vendors as defined in § 4.1-216.1 of the Code of Virginia and wholesalers of alcoholic beverages may sell, lend, buy for, or give to retailers any nonilluminated advertising materials made of paper, cardboard, canvas, rubber, foam, or plastic, provided the advertising materials have a wholesale value of $40 or less per item. Advertising material referring to any brand or manufacturer of spirits may only be provided to mixed beverage licensees and may not be provided by beer and wine wholesalers, or their employees, unless they hold a spirits solicitor's permit.

C. Manufacturers, bottlers, or wholesalers may supply to retailers napkins, placemats, and coasters that contain (i) a reference to the name of a brand of nonalcoholic beer or nonalcoholic wine, or (ii) a message relating solely to and promoting moderation and responsible drinking, which message may contain the name, logo, and address of the sponsoring manufacturer, bottler, or wholesaler, provided such recognition is subordinate to the message.

D. Any manufacturer, including any vendor authorized by any such manufacturer, whether or not licensed in the Commonwealth, may sell service items bearing alcoholic brand references to on-premises retail licensees. Such retail licensee may display the service items on the premises of his licensed establishment. Each such retail licensee purchasing such service items shall retain a copy of the evidence of his payment to the manufacturer or authorized vendor for a period of not less than two years from the date of each sale of the service items. As used in this subdivision, "service items" means articles of tangible personal property normally used by the employees of on-premises licensees to serve alcoholic beverages to customers including, but not limited to, glasses, napkins, buckets, and coasters.

E. Alcoholic beverage "neckers," recipe booklets, brochures relating to the alcoholic beverage manufacturing process, vineyard, brewery, and distillery geography, and history of an alcoholic beverage manufacturing area, and point-of-sale entry blanks relating to contests and sweepstakes may be provided by manufacturers, importers, bottlers, brokers, or wholesalers to retail licensees for use on retail premises, if such items are offered to all retail licensees equally, and the manufacturer, importer, bottler, broker, or wholesaler has obtained the consent, which may be a continuing consent, of each retailer or his representative. Wholesale licensees in the Commonwealth may not put entry blanks on the package. Solicitors holding permits under the provisions of 3VAC5-60-80 may provide point-of-sale entry blanks relating to contests and sweepstakes to mixed beverage licensees for use on the premises if such items are offered to all mixed beverage licensees equally, and the solicitor has obtained the consent, which may be a continuous consent, of each mixed beverage licensee or his representative.

F. Manufacturers, importers, bottlers, brokers, or wholesalers, or their representatives, may supply refund coupons if they are supplied, displayed, and used in accordance with 3VAC5-20-90.

G. No manufacturer, bottler, wholesaler, or importer of alcoholic beverages, whether licensed in this Commonwealth or not, may directly or indirectly sell, rent, lend, buy for, or give to any retailer any advertising materials, decorations, or furnishings under any circumstances otherwise prohibited by law, nor may any retailer induce, attempt to induce, or consent to any such supplier of alcoholic beverages furnishing such retailer any such advertising.

H. Any advertising materials provided for herein, which may have been obtained by any retail licensee from any manufacturer, bottler, broker, importer, or wholesaler of alcoholic beverages, may be installed in the interior of the licensed establishment by any such industry member or their representatives using any normal and customary installation materials. With the consent of the retail licensee, which consent may be a continuing consent, manufacturers, importers, bottlers, brokers, or wholesalers, or their representatives, may mark or affix retail prices on these materials.

I. Every retail licensee who obtains any point-of-sale advertising shall keep a complete, accurate, and separate record of all such material obtained. Such records shall show (i) the name and address of the person from whom obtained; (ii) the date furnished; (iii) the item furnished; and (iv) the price charged therefore. All such records, invoices and accounts shall be kept by each such licensee at the place designated in the license for a period of two years and shall be available for inspection and copying by any member of the board or its special agents during reasonable hours.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 26, Issue 11, eff. March 5, 2010; amended, Virginia Register Volume 30, Issue 06, eff. December 18, 2013.

Statutory Authority

§ 4.1-111 of the Code of Virginia.