Canada’s Boycott of US Liquor Hits Domestic Alcohol Sales

Canada’s boycott of American spirits isn’t just dragging down sales of US brands in the country. It’s squeezing all alcohol spending, including for domestic products, according to the latest analysis from the trade group Spirits Canada.

Sales of US spirits in Canada fell 66% between March 5, around the time when Canadian provinces announced they would no longer carry American liquor, through the end of April. Total spirits sales fell nearly 13%.

In Ontario, the country’s biggest market, American spirits sales plunged 80% since US products were removed in the province, the analysis found.

A worker removes bottles of American-made Tito’s vodka from a shelf at a Liquor Control Board of Ontario store in Toronto on March 4.

Photographer: Christopher Katsarov Luna/Bloomberg

The overall market is shrinking ...