Law allowing Kansas grocery stores to sell full-strength beer takes effect today

As of Monday, employees at grocery stores across the state will be stocking shelves with a product they’ve never been allowed to sell before — full-strength beer.

Elsewhere, liquor stores will also begin to stock shelves with new nonalcoholic products, although some liquor store owners say the changes are a bit of a mixed bag.

On Monday, a law that was passed by the Kansas Legislature in 2017 will go into effect and allow grocers and convenience stores to sell beer with an alcohol content of up to 6 percent alcohol by volume, or ABV. Under previous law, they could only sell beer with up to 3.2 percent ABV.

“It can’t come soon enough,” said Sheila Lowrie, a spokeswoman for Dillons Food Stores, which has four stores in Lawrence.