(a) The listing of the names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, or Internet Web site addresses, or other electronic media, of two or more unaffiliated on-sale or off-sale retailers selling beer, wine, or distilled spirits produced, distributed, or imported by a nonretail industry member does not constitute a thing of value or prohibited inducement to the listed on-sale or off-sale retailer, provided all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The listing does not also contain the retail price of the product.

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(2) The listing is the only reference to the on-sale or off-sale retailers in the direct communication.

(3) The listing does not refer only to one on-sale or off-sale retailer or only to on-sale or off-sale retail establishments controlled directly or indirectly by the same retailer.

(4) The listing is made, or produced, or paid for, exclusively by the nonretail industry member.

(b) For the purposes of this section, “nonretail industry member” is defined as a manufacturer, including, but not limited to, a beer manufacturer, winegrower, brandy manufacturer, rectifier, or distiller of alcoholic beverages or an agent of that entity, or a wholesaler, regardless of any other licenses held directly or indirectly by that person.

(c) The Legislature finds that it is necessary and proper to require a separation among manufacturing interests, wholesale interests, and retail interests in the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages in order to prevent suppliers from dominating local markets through vertical integration and to prevent excessive sales of alcoholic beverages produced by overly aggressive marketing techniques. The Legislature further finds that the exceptions established by this section to the general prohibition against tied interests shall be limited to their express terms so as not to undermine the general prohibition, and intends that this section be construed accordingly.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 408, Sec. 1. (AB 780) Effective January 1, 2016.)