Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 102.07 – Prohibited Dealings With Retailer or Consumer
(a) Except as provided in Subsections (b), (d), and (g), a person who owns or has an interest in the business of a distiller, rectifier, wholesaler, class B wholesaler, or winery, or the agent, servant, or employee of such a person, may not:
(1) own or have a direct or indirect interest in the business, premises, equipment, or fixtures of a retailer;
(2) furnish, give, or lend any money, service, or thing of value to a retailer;
(3) guarantee a financial obligation of a retailer;
(4) make or offer to enter an agreement, condition, or system which will in effect amount to the shipment and delivery of alcoholic beverages on consignment;
(5) furnish, give, rent, lend, or sell to a retail dealer any equipment, fixtures, or supplies to be used in selling or dispensing alcoholic beverages, except that alcoholic beverages may be packaged in combination with other items if the package is designed to be delivered intact to the ultimate consumer and the additional items have no value or benefit to the retailer other than that of having the potential of attracting purchases and promoting sales;
(6) pay or make an allowance to a retailer for a special advertising or distribution service;
(7) allow an excessive discount to a retailer; or
(8) offer a prize, premium, gift, or similar inducement to a retailer or to the agent, servant, or employee of a retailer.
(b) A permittee covered by Subsection (a) of this section may furnish to a retailer without cost advertising specialties showing the name of the product advertised. The total value of all advertising specialties for any one brand furnished to a retailer in any one calendar year may not exceed $78. Not more than once a year, the administrator on the administrator’s own motion or on the motion of the permittee may increase or decrease the total amount of advertising specialties permitted under this subsection by not more than six percent based on the consumer price index and previous adjustments, if any. For the purposes of this subsection, “consumer price index” means the annual average over a calendar year of the consumer price index (all items, United States city average) published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor, or its successor in function. Permittees covered by Subsection (a) of this section may not pool or combine their dollar limitations to provide a retailer with advertising specialties valued in excess of the maximum permitted under this subsection.
Terms Used In Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 102.07
- Alcoholic beverage: means alcohol, or any beverage containing more than one-half of one percent of alcohol by volume, which is capable of use for beverage purposes, either alone or when diluted. See Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 1.04
- Brewer: means a person engaged in the brewing of malt beverages, whether located inside or outside the state. See Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 1.04
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Distilled spirits: means alcohol, spirits of wine, whiskey, rum, brandy, gin, or any liquor produced in whole or in part by the process of distillation, including all dilutions or mixtures of them, and includes spirit coolers that may have an alcoholic content as low as four percent alcohol by volume and that contain plain, sparkling, or carbonated water and may also contain one or more natural or artificial blending or flavoring ingredients. See Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 1.04
- Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
- Licensee: means a person who is the holder of a license provided in this code, or any agent, servant, or employee of that person. See Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 1.04
- Liquor: means any alcoholic beverage, other than a malt beverage, containing alcohol in excess of five percent by volume, unless otherwise indicated. See Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 1.04
- Mixed beverage: means one or more servings of a beverage composed in whole or part of an alcoholic beverage in a sealed or unsealed container of any legal size for consumption on the premises where served or sold by the holder of a mixed beverage permit, the holder of certain nonprofit entity temporary event permits, the holder of a private club registration permit, or the holder of certain retailer late hours certificates. See Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 1.04
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Permittee: means a person who is the holder of a permit provided for in this code, or an agent, servant, or employee of that person. See Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 1.04
- Person: means a natural person or association of natural persons, trustee, receiver, partnership, corporation, organization, or the manager, agent, servant, or employee of any of them. See Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 1.04
- Premises: has the meaning given it in § 11. See Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 1.04
- United States: includes a department, bureau, or other agency of the United States of America. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Year: means 12 consecutive months. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) No person who owns or has an interest in the business of a package store or wine only package store, nor the agent, servant, or employee of the person, may allow an excessive discount on liquor.
(d) A permittee covered under Subsection (a) may offer prizes, premiums, or gifts to a consumer. The use of rebates or coupons redeemable by the public for the purchase of alcoholic beverages is prohibited. The holder of a winery permit may furnish to a retailer without cost recipes, recipe books, book matches, cocktail napkins, or other advertising items showing the name of the winery furnishing the items or the brand name of the product advertised if the individual cost of the items does not exceed $1.
(e) A permittee covered under Subsection (a) may conduct a sweepstakes promotion. A purchase or entry fee may not be required of any person to enter a sweepstakes event authorized under this subsection. A person affiliated with the alcoholic beverage industry may not receive a prize from a sweepstakes promotion.
(f) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), § 108.05, or any other provision of this code, a holder of a distiller’s and rectifier’s permit, winery permit, nonresident seller’s permit, brewer‘s license, or nonresident brewer’s license may, in order to promote the brand name of the permittee’s or licensee‘s products, contract with a person licensed under Subtitle A-1, Title 13, Occupations Code (Texas Racing Act), for on-site advertising signs, for advertising in programs, and to supplement purses for races even though the licensees under that subtitle or the owners or operators of the racing facilities also hold a mixed beverage permit or other permit or license under this code. In addition, a permittee or licensee described by this subsection may contract for off-site advertising promoting specific races. A part of the cost of an advertisement or promotion authorized by this section may not be charged to or paid, directly or indirectly, by the holder of a wholesaler’s permit, general class B wholesaler’s permit, local distributor’s permit, or general distributor’s license, except through the price paid by that holder for products purchased from the holder’s supplier.
(g) Subsection (a) does not prohibit a permittee covered under Subsection (a) from prearranging or preannouncing a promotional activity otherwise permitted by this code with a retailer about a promotional activity to be held on the retailer’s premises. Notwithstanding any other provision, a permittee may:
(1) preannounce a promotion to a consumer; or
(2) preannounce the purchase of wine or distilled spirits to a consumer.