Responsible Retailing Paying Dividends is the theme of the 2007-08 LCBO Annual Report.

In fiscal 2007-08, LCBO grew its business by continuing to improve customer service, product selection, and operational efficiency. LCBO also continued to proudly promote the Ontario wine, craft beer and spirits industries. Ontario craft beer sales rose 37 per cent, Ontario VQA table wines were up 11.8 per cent and total sales for Ontario wineries were up 6.2 per cent.

Overall revenues also grew, with the financial dividend to the province increasing 5.1 per cent from $1.28 billion to $1.345 billion.

LCBO’s commitment to social responsibility was seen in retail staff challenging more than two million customers who appeared to be underage or intoxicated, an increase of 11 per cent over the previous year; service was refused to more than 134,000 (83 per cent for reasons of age). LCBO also launched its 10th annual social responsibility TV campaign in partnership with MADD Canada to help prevent drinking and driving.

LCBO grew its environmental commitment by: helping to reduce waste, working with suppliers to introduce innovative, lightweight and convenient alternative containers such as Tetra Pak and PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and encouraging native Ontario wildlife and habitat. The Bag it Back deposit return program, launched by the government in February, 2007, has recycled 250 million beverage alcohol containers and counting to date. LCBO has phased out plastic shopping bags and is on target to reduce its energy consumption in its stores and warehouses by 10 per cent.