With the announcement this week of the closure of 12 more Beer Store locations in Ontario — bringing the total number of closures to almost 80 this year — consumers may need to rely more on convenience stores and grocers for their alcohol purchases.

But some independent grocers say new rules requiring grocery stores that sell alcohol to also accept returns of empty bottles and cans in the new year may force them to go dry.

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David LaMantia is a third-generation grocer in Lindsay, Ont., a community in the Kawartha Lakes region northeast of Toronto. His store, LaMantia’s Country Market Fresh, dates back to 1928 . He’s been selling alcohol since 2015 but is planning to get out of the market when the new laws take effect on Jan. 1.

“Are we going to take back empties?

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