Prices up at P.E.I. liquor stores

Islanders buying beer, wine and spirits may have noticed a jump in prices at the start of April.

There were increases to about 20 per cent of the products sold at P.E.I. liquor stores.

Most of those increases were because of the federal excise tax, which is tied to inflation, said Jamie MacLeod, the commission's director of corporate services.

"Implementation of the federal excise tax that went into effect April of last year would be the primary thing," said MacLeod.

"Some suppliers did not absorb that cost, so that cost was added to our eventual sales price."

Some whiskies are up because of an American tariff.

Foreign exchange rates also affected prices. About two per cent of product prices actually fell due to a more favourable rate for the Canadian dollar.

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