Just because the label on the bottle is that of a quality producer, does not mean that the content actually matches, at least that is what regulators found out after inspecting several Texas Bars.
Several bars in the state of Texas were found serving cheap booze in high end label bottles after the locals were inspected by undercover officers of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
The high end liquor was being replaced by the bartenders and sold as expensive brand merchandise, in bars across the state. However no one knows for sure if the bartenders were doing this to increase their own profits or at the locale owner’s demand.
Either way the practice is considered as dirty as watering the drinks in the bar-tending community, and several professionals declared that such behavior is unacceptable and could negatively influence the entire industry’s image.
The TABC conducted these undercover operations in 68 retailer locations beginning in the month of April. The investigators posed as customers and asked for top self merchandise, which they took samples of, for laboratory analysis.
21 licensed retailers were found to use substitution techniques with over 41 samples out of 153 being found to contain cheap products instead of what was ordered .
However this is just the tip of the problem. Such behavior is only if the customer himself does not know what his order is supposed to taste like.
The difference between quality products and low end merchandise is affecting not only alcohol but most of the other luxury goods markets. In the last 20 years a new concept has been heavily introduces which is the “mass produced luxury item”.
While extremely expensive products did not have their quality standards modified by much, the “middle self” products have.
Several comedians and TV shows have tested if people can actually recognize a quality product and found that in most cases the answer is no.
Penn and Teller the famous magicians and T.V. celebrities, have at one point served the lowest grade of food available from a local supermarket as high end cuisine to test if luxury could be imitated to such a degree . Only one of the people that was served the low quality food figured out that he was being deceived.
This does not excuse the Texas bartenders in any way however, and the TABC has said that the establishments that were found to serve substituted booze will be noticed and could face fines or the complete suspension of their liquor license.
Image Source: nj.com
