Buying Wine — Vending Machine-Style

In a state where you can’t buy wine at the supermarket, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) is changing the policy -- a little.

Maybe coming soon to a grocery store near you: automated wine kiosks.

That's right a bottle of red and a bottle of white could be at your fingertips.

The PLCB is now opening two kiosks at the Mechanicsburg Wegmans and the Harrisburg Giant. The new machines are a test run by the board for future widespread use within the state.

More than 50 varieties of the bottled beverage will be available at the self-service dispensers.

Produced by Conshohocken company Simple Brands LLC, the kiosks also take precautions to ward off underage or already inebriated buyers. The machines scan for drivers’ licenses to determine age and require a 20-second Breathalyzer test before dispensing the bottles.

The kiosks represent the board’s recent efforts to improve accessibility and attention to customers.

"The kiosks are a way to give our customers an added level of convenience in today’s busy society," PLCB Chairman PJ Stapleton said.

If the test dispensers are successful, the PLCB hopes to be providing about one hundred to stores across the state by the end of October.

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