Consumers in Connecticut pay a surcharge of five cents for any bottle of alcohol 50 mL or less — the small bottles holding a standard shot of liquor commonly known as “nips.” The “nickle-per-nip” program has generated millions statewide since it went into effect in late 2021. The funds serve as a source of revenue for the towns where the bottles are sold. This revenue has risen in recent years, as sales of nips have increased. The increase in sales — and consumption — has some residents and lawmakers concerned about issues like litter and drinking while driving. Here’s what to know about the fee on nips in Connecticut, why the program came up during a bottle redemption bill hearing and why some people are pushing for a product ban. How much revenue do towns get from the surcharge? The program generated more than $12 million in revenue since 2022 and $4.9 million from 2024 to 2025. The amount each town generates from the fee depends on the size of the municipality and sales of the product, which tends to be higher in communities with more liquor stores. Some towns receive just a few hundred dollars every six months while others receive over $100,000 in the same period.  New Haven, where an average of 4.4 million nips are bought each year, received $242,298 from 2024 to 2025. Hartford came in second, with more than $181,000. The revenue can only be used for environmental measures, but this category is pretty broad. Funds can be put toward anything from hiring a recycling coordinator to creating Earth Day events. Some towns have purchased street sweepers or street sweeper attachments that can help keep discarded nips bottles — like those that may be thrown out of car windows — off the streets.  Brian O’Connor, director of public policy and advocacy for the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, said some towns want to expand use of the revenue to include educating and advocating against drunken driving. Why do some people oppose the surcharge?  One resident, Tom Metzner, started an advocacy group called “CT Towns Nixing The Nip,” and has advocated for legislation that would allow towns to ban the product.  “The problem is not litter and drinking and driving,” Metzner said at a hearing for the bottle bill on March 13. “Those are the foreseeable consequences of the problem, which is the design, marketing and consumption of nips, designed to go out the window.”  Many advocates worry about the environmental impacts of the product. “We have a community degradation problem where the large numbers of them are not picked up because they do not have a refundable deposit, and they are laying on the roads untouched,” Rep. Mary Mushinsky, D-Wallingford, said at a press conference in February. “We have a water pollution problem as they get down the rivers to Long Island Sound, and they are now the most commonly found item, or one of the top two most commonly found items in the sound.” What bills have been proposed to address advocates’ concerns? Legislation that would allow towns to ban the product has been introduced the past two legislative sessions. But this year, legislation has yet to be introduced, despite a push from advocates. Mushinsky announced two potential bills in February, one that would allow towns to ban the product and one making nip bottles eligible for the bottle redemption program. The bottle redemption program charges those purchasing a drink in an eligible bottle or can, like water or soda, 10 extra cents. But residents can then trade these empty cans or bottles in to redemption centers in exchange for the 10 cents. Nips are not eligible for redemption under the bottle bill due to size limits. The bottle bill and the surcharge on nips were both initiatives sparked partially by litter in the state. But the nip surcharge, unlike the bottle bill, provides revenue to the towns — consumers do not have the option to redeem the containers. But as of March 20, neither bill had been filed.  Since legislation has not been introduced, Metzner is hoping to add an amendment onto the bottle bill, Senate Bill 299, which deals with bottle redemption fraud and regulation. The bill would increase fines for violating the law, which only allows in-state residents to redeem the bottles, from $50 to $500. The bill also places stricter regulations on redemption centers, requiring them to keep records of anyone exchanging more than 1,000 bottles at a single time. Metzner testified at the hearing for the bottle bill last week, but no amendment had been raised as of March 20. Two years ago, a bill that would have allowed towns to ban the product got a hearing. Many people were supportive of the elective ban. But Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Connecticut, as well as some liquor stores in the state, have opposed past legislation. Larry Cafero, executive director of Wine and Spirits Wholesalers, said town regulation of alcohol is a “slippery slope.” Liquor store owners also said they did not want to lose the revenue generated from the product. ...read more read less