Woman paying for wine bottle with credit card header image

Does Safeway Sell Alcohol?

Safeway sells alcohol in the form of beers, wines and spirits, and mixers in states where the store has a presence. This includes Arizona, Colorado, California, Hawaii, Delaware, Alaska, Idaho, and others. The store also sells its own private label. It’s one of the few grocery stores that openly sell liquor since state laws have prohibited it.

But unlike regular grocery store items, you can’t walk into Safeway and buy alcoholic drinks. The store would need to verify that you’re at the legal age to purchase alcohol. Keep reading this post to learn more about Safeway’s alcohol policies and how to buy alcohol. 

Does Safeway sell alcohol in all 50 states of the USA?

Safeway has stores in 18 states in the USA, and all of them sell alcohol. Here are all the states in the USA where Safeway exists:

  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • California
  • Hawaii
  • Delaware
  • Alaska
  • Idaho
  • Maryland
  • Nebraska
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • Oregon
  • New Mexico
  • Virginia
  • South Dakota
  • Washington
  • District of Columbia
  • Wyoming

Before purchasing alcohol at any Safeway store, the employees would need to verify your age and identity as required by the law. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act states that only individuals 21 years old or above can purchase alcohol. Anyone under that age is considered a minor or youth and deemed unqualified to buy alcohol. So if you’re under 21, you can’t buy alcohol from Safeway or any other grocery store. 

The store sells alcohol every day from 9 AM to 9 PM, even on Sundays. However, state laws vary across the USA, so those hours can be affected. It’s best to contact the store or research the laws of your state of residence.

Does Safeway sell alcohol online?

Safeway sells alcohol online, so you can order it and have it brought to your apartment or opt for curbside pickup. However, since the store fulfills customer orders with third-party grocery delivery services like Instacart and DoorDash, you’ll need to order through their platforms instead of the Safeway website. 

But don’t think you’ve escaped the age verification process just yet. Even online, grocery delivery services will ask you to upload a photo of your valid ID before delivering alcohol to you. This is because alcohol and cigarettes are special orders prohibited by state laws. 

When the grocery delivery driver brings your order, they must verify that the ID matches the person standing before them. Otherwise, they would be held liable for selling alcohol to a minor. So if they notice anything suspicious, they’re allowed to terminate the order process and contact support.

Does Safeway sell alcohol in Canada?

Safeway sells alcohol in Canada. However, since Canada is an independent country, that means the laws in the USA don’t apply to alcohol sales there. The laws and regulations vary, and the government is stricter about alcohol purchase and consumption. 

Alcoholic drinks on a shelf

You won’t find alcohol in the regular grocery stores in Canada. Instead, you’d find it in Safeway Liquor stores. These stores that exclusively sell alcoholic drinks, so they’re the best places to check. It’ll save you the stress of finding it in a grocery store with multiple categories of products.

In select cities and provinces like Ontario, you can order the alcohol using third-party delivery services like Uber Eats and Instacart, which are some of the best food delivery services. The minimum age for purchasing alcohol is 19. Some provinces lower it to 18. And of course, like in America, you’d need to provide an ID before you can legally purchase alcohol in Canada.

Conclusion

Safeway sells alcohol, and you can get it from any of its stores. Just make sure to check that Safeway is available in your state and find out about the laws that apply to alcohol sales there before you purchase it. Safeway also sells cigarettes. But like with alcohol, it’s restricted to individuals at the age of 21. So you’ll need to provide an ID to enable you to buy it from the store or order online. 

We hope you find this post helpful!

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