These Two Popular Items Are Still Banned From MN Grocery Stores

While state legislators made several changes to some of Minnesota's long-standing laws, they didn't revisit the law that prohibits grocery stores from selling these two popular items again this year.

You might have heard about the special legislative session in St. Paul that took place on Monday, June 9th, 2025. Lawmakers worked through the day and into the late night hours and passed several bills, all of which fund various parts of Minnesota's state budget for the next two years.

However, lawmakers did *not* make changes to the law that concerns two popular items you can buy at grocery stores in just about every other state except here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Because, again this year, those two items remain banned at grocery and convenience stores across Minnesota.

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So, just what popular items can grocery stores not legally sell here in the North Star State? Why, that would be wine and beer. (Well, and other liquor, as well, of course.)

Now, grocery stores in the Bold North *can* sell beer, but as we all know, the beer that grocery stores can legally sell in Minnesota is that strange '3.2' beer, or 'near beer' as it's sometimes called. And the Gopher State is currently the *only* state where that product (which contains less alcohol by volume than regular beer) is still sold.

READ MORE: 10 Things People From WI Secretly Think About MN

Much like last year, grocery and convenience store owners hoped that the Minnesota legislature might pass a bill allowing them to sell regular beer and wine. But also like last year, a proposal to change that law was not taken up.

The only change to Minnesota's laws concerning alcohol was a bill passed in May (that would be HF 2130, by the way) that strengthens Minnesota's ignition interlock program, adding more time offenders spend in that program based on their previous offenses. It passed both the House and Senate and was signed into law on May 22, 2025.

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And though there were other reasons involved again this year, this MP story notes several reasons legislators put the kibosh on moving Minnesota's outdated liquor laws forward last year-- which still apparently comes down to the alcohol bill the Legislature passed in 2022.

That was the 'Free The Growler' law, which, after being previously stymied, FINALLY passed three years ago. It's the law that finally allowed craft breweries to sell more of their own beer. But changes since then haven't happened.

Axios Twin Cities says that could be due to an "informal 'peace in the valley' agreement among legislative leaders to only pass changes that all key players in the local liquor industry support."

So once again this year, if you want to get your fix of wine or beer here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, you'll still have to hit up your local liquor store (which I love, btw.) At least they're now allowed to be open on Sundays, right? Speaking of alcohol, do you know how much wine Minnesotans bought last year? (Hint: It's a lot.) Keep scrolling to find out!

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