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INDIANAPOLIS – Hoosiers are evenly split on whether grocery and liquor stores should be allowed to sell alcohol on Sundays as bars and restaurants do, a statewide poll indicates.
An Indianapolis Star/WTHR poll found that 46 percent of residents support changing current law to allow Sunday sales, while 45 percent favor keeping the law the way it is. Nine percent were undecided.
The poll of 600 likely general election voters was conducted Oct. 29 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
The poll results show a slight change from two years ago, when a poll conducted by the Indianapolis Star found that 50 percent of Hoosiers favored the Sunday ban and 43 percent opposed it.
State law allows alcohol sold “by the drink” in restaurants and bars and at sporting events, but bans alcohol sales in grocery and liquor stores. The law could become a subject of debate in next year’s legislative session, and lobbyists are preparing to make their cases should the issue come up.
Package liquor stores often oppose allowing Sunday sales, saying any business gained on Sundays would be canceled out by additional payroll costs to keep the stores open. Some say Sunday sales would be an unfair advantage for grocery and large convenience stores because Sunday is one of the busiest shopping days of the week. Large retailers want to expand sales, saying it would be convenient for Sunday shoppers.
