Code Section

25600.  

(a) (1) No licensee shall, directly or indirectly, give any premium, gift, or free goods in connection with the sale or distribution of any alcoholic beverage, except as provided by rules that shall be adopted by the department to implement this section or as authorized by this division.

(2) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), for purposes of this section, a refund to, or exchange of products for, a dissatisfied consumer by a licensee authorized to sell to consumers shall not be deemed a premium, gift, or free goods given in connection with the sale or distribution of an alcoholic beverage.

(B) A winegrower may advertise or otherwise offer consumers a guarantee of product satisfaction only in newsletters or other publications of the winegrower or at the winegrower’s premises. A winegrower may refund to a dissatisfied consumer the entire purchase price of wine produced by that winegrower and sold to that consumer, regardless of where the wine was purchased.

(3) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a winegrower, a beer manufacturer, a distilled spirits manufacturer, a craft distiller, a brandy manufacturer, a rectifier, or a wine rectifier may donate a portion of the purchase price of an alcoholic beverage to a nonprofit charitable organization in connection with the sale or distribution of an alcohol beverage, subject to all of the following limitations:

(i) The donation is only in connection with the sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages in manufacturer-sealed containers.

(ii) Promotion or advertisement of the donation shall not directly encourage or reference the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

(iii) A donation shall not benefit a retail licensee, or benefit a nonprofit charitable organization established for the specific purpose of benefiting the employees of retail licensees and the advertisement or promotion of a donation, shall not, directly or indirectly, advertise, promote, or reference any retail licensee. This is not intended to preclude the identification of licensed retailers as permitted by Section 25500.1.

(B) This paragraph shall be inoperative on January 1, 2025.

(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), no rule of the department may permit a licensee to give any premium, gift, or free goods of greater than inconsequential value in connection with the sale or distribution of beer. With respect to beer, premiums, gifts, or free goods, including advertising specialties that have no significant utilitarian value other than advertising, shall be deemed to have greater than inconsequential value if they cost more than twenty-five cents ($0.25) per unit, or cost more than fifteen dollars ($15) in the aggregate for all those items given by a single supplier to a single retail premises per calendar year.

(2) (A) No rule of the department may impose a dollar limit for consumer advertising specialties furnished by a beer manufacturer to the general public other than three dollars ($3) per unit original cost to the beer manufacturer who purchased it.

(B) With respect to beer, a beer manufacturer may give consumer advertising specialties to the general public that do not exceed three dollars ($3) per unit original cost to the beer manufacturer who purchased it. For purposes of this paragraph, “beer manufacturer” includes a holder of a beer manufacturer’s license, a holder of an out-of-state beer manufacturer’s certificate, an out-of-state vendor that holds a certificate of compliance, or a holder of a beer and wine importer’s general license. A licensee authorized to give consumer advertising specialties pursuant to this paragraph shall not be precluded from doing so on the basis of holding any other type of alcoholic beverage license.

(C) A beer manufacturer, as defined in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) shall not require a beer wholesaler to fund the purchase of consumer advertising specialties that beer manufacturers are permitted to give under paragraph (2).

(D) Consumer advertising specialties furnished by a beer manufacturer are intended only for adults of legal drinking age. Coin banks, toys, balloons, magic tricks, miniature bottles or cans, confections, dolls, or other items that appeal to minors or underage drinkers may not be used in connection with the merchandising of beer.

(c) With respect to distilled spirits and wines, a licensee may furnish, give, rent, loan, or sell advertising specialties to a retailer, provided those items bear conspicuous advertising required of a sign and the total value of all retailer advertising specialties furnished by a supplier, directly or indirectly, to a retailer do not exceed fifty dollars ($50) per brand in any one calendar year per retail premises. The value of a retailer advertising specialty is the actual cost of that item to the supplier who initially purchased it, excluding transportation and installation costs. The furnishing or giving of any retailer advertising specialty shall not be conditioned upon the purchase of the supplier’s product. Retail advertising specialties given or furnished free of charge may not be sold by the retail licensee. No rule of the department may impose a dollar limit for consumer advertising specialties furnished by a distilled spirits supplier to a retailer or to the general public of less than five dollars ($5) per unit original cost to the supplier who purchased it. A rule or decision of the department may not approve glassware as an authorized retailer advertising specialty for distilled spirits or wine under this section.

(d) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, a beer manufacturer or distilled spirits manufacturer may provide directly to consumers free or discounted rides through taxicabs, transportation network companies, or any other ride service for the purpose of furthering public safety. The free or discounted rides may be provided by vouchers, codes, or any other method to deliver the free or discounted ride. A free or discounted ride, or the provision of a voucher, code, or other method of delivery, shall not be conditioned upon the purchase of an alcoholic beverage. A beer and wine wholesaler or distilled spirits importer general that holds a wholesaler’s or retailer’s license only as an additional license shall not directly or indirectly underwrite, share in, or contribute to, the costs of free or discounted rides or serve as an agent of a beer manufacturer or distilled spirits manufacturer to provide free or discounted rides to consumers. Nothing in this provision authorizes a beer manufacturer or distilled spirits manufacturer to provide a gift or anything of value directly or indirectly to a retail licensee.

(2) For purposes of this section:

(A) “Beer manufacturer” has the same meaning as defined in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).

(B) “Distilled spirits manufacturer” means a distilled spirits manufacturer, holder of a distilled spirits rectifier’s general license, distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent, brandy manufacturer, holder of an out-of-state distilled spirits shipper’s certificate, holder of a distilled spirits importer general’s license, or craft distiller.

(C) “Glassware” means a single-service glass container or nonglass container capable of holding no more than 23 ounces of liquid volume or a decanter, chalice, infusion jar, or similar container of any size and made of any material.