Licensing hotel or merchant to sell spirits for consumption off premises; sale of alcoholic liquor; price; rules; definitions.

(1) The commission may license a hotel or merchant, in places that the commission may designate, to sell spirits for consumption off the premises, notwithstanding section 233(1). Except as otherwise provided in this section, if alcoholic liquor is sold by a specially designated distributor under a license issued under this section, it shall not be sold at less than the minimum retail selling price fixed by the commission and under rules promulgated by the commission. (2) The commission may, by rule or order, allow a specially designated distributor to sell alcoholic liquor at less than the minimum retail selling price in order to dispose of inventory at a price and under conditions and procedures established through that rule or order. (3) As used in this section and in sections 1201, 1203, and 1207, "retail selling price" means the price the commission pays for spirits plus the gross profit established in section 233. (4) As used in this section, "minimum retail selling price" means retail selling price plus the specific taxes imposed in sections 1201, 1203, and 1207.