Category: Regulatory Compliance
News TTB Offers Educational Videos on Tied House Laws
As part of TTB’s effort to provide on-demand educational information, the federal agency is offering a new video series for the alcohol beverage industry that explains the history leading up to the trade practice rules, defines the related terms, and walks through the four prohibited trade practices.
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News TTB Updates Guidance on Voluntary Calorie Statements
The TTB has published two new guidance documents that expand the tolerances for voluntary calorie statements in the labeling and advertising of alcohol beverages. This new guidance makes calorie tolerances more consistent with the food labeling regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, with the hope that it may facilitate the broader use of voluntary nutrient content statements in alcohol beverage labeling and advertising. The ruling does not require any changes to approved labels, but instead allows greater flexibility for industry members who choose to use voluntary nutrient content statements on labels or in advertisements.
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News TTB Offers Online COLA Workshop
Do you know all the ins and outs of applying for federal label approval? If not, the TTB is offering a free COLAs Online Workshop on September 29, at 1 p.m. ET, to learn how to register for and use TTB’s online alcohol label approval system. For more details and registering, go here.
Discuss other TTB issues with fellow brewers Here
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News TTB Reminder: Formula Approval Required for All Beer – Even if Only Sold In-State
When the TTB has a reminder, it’s a good idea to listen. In their latest newsletter, the TTB reminds brewers that regulations do not require a brewer to obtain a certificate of label approval, or COLA, for a domestically bottled malt beverage that will be sold exclusively in the state in which it was bottled, but the formula approval requirements do apply regardless of whether the beer will be sold in intrastate or interstate commerce. This means that a beer sold only at a taxpaid “tasting room” affiliated with your brewery may be subject to TTB formula approval.
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News TTB Reminder – Health-Related Statements Not Allowed
According to the latest TTB Newsletter, the agency has found an increasing number of alcohol beverage advertisements, including company websites and social media accounts, depicting health-related statements that suggest a relationship between the consumption of an alcohol beverage and its purported health benefits or effects. And the TTB reminds all alcohol producers – that’s a no-no.
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News California Governor Appoints New ABC Director
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced today the appointment of Eric Hirata as Director of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, where he has been Chief Deputy Director since 2017. He will take the place of Jacob Appelsmith who served as ABC Director between 2011 and 2013 and again from June 2017 to July of this year when he retired.
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News TTB Extends Waiver to File Notice When Destroying Beer
Due to the ongoing and “significant business disruptions” due to COVID-19, the TTB is extending the waiver that brewers file a Notice of Intent (NOI) to the TTB when destroying beer. The original waiver was due to expire on July 1st and has been extended to September 1st.
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News Alcohol Justice Protests Regulatory Changes to Help Industry
Alcohol Justice, the California-based alcohol industry watchdog group has written a letter to the California Department Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) protesting the ABC’s temporarily suspension of some alcohol regulations to help those in the alcohol beverage and hospitality industry stay in business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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News TTB Postpones Tax Payment and Other Filing Due Dates
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) announced today in a circular that they will be postponing several filing and payment due dates for 90-days where the original due date falls on or after March 1, 2020, through July 1, 2020.
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News Calif. ABC Fines Grocery Chain for Trade Practice Violations
The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) announced that they have reached an agreement with Albertsons LLC, Safeway Inc., and The Vons Companies, Inc. to pay $600,000 following an ABC investigation that alleged violations of California alcoholic beverage laws.
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News TTB Back in Biz – COLA Lead Time Extended
TTB employees were back at work on Monday with the re-opening of the government shutdown after more than a month of being out of the office. Most agencies directed their employees to use the first day back to update computer programs, re-set passwords and get settled in. The tech support team at the Department of Housing and Urban Development said it received more than 1,000 calls by 1 p.m. Monday for help getting computers back online and resetting passwords according to a story in the Washington Post.
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News TTB Fines Wholesaler for Pay-to-Play
Elgin Beverage, an Illinois wholesaler of Constellation Brands and other beverages has been fined by the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) for pay-to-play practices in the marketplace. The TTB accused Elgin of making improper payments to retail accounts seeking preferred placement of its products. The wholesaler negotiated a fine of $325,000 for the infractions.
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News Tied House Laws Survive Major Court Case
The Ninth Circuit Court has handed down a huge victory for tied house laws by ruling in favor of the California Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) in the Retail Digital Network (RDN) v. Prieto court case. The case challenged a key tied-house law in California’s Business and Professions Code which prohibits alcohol beverage suppliers from giving anything of value to retailers in exchange for advertising. RDN challenged the provision claiming it violated the First Amendment, which allows truthful and non-misleading commercial speech.
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