East Haven package stores sold 417,358 nips from April 1 through Sept. 30, 2026, earning the town $20,867.90 under Connecticut’s nickel-per-bottle surcharge, according to state Department of Consumer Protection data posted Oct. 23.
That is up about 3% from the $20,263.30 East Haven earned for the previous six months, October 2025 through March 2026, when stores here sold 405,266 of the little bottles.
Where East Haven ranks
East Haven placed 34th among Connecticut’s 169 towns for the six-month period. Neighboring Branford, a slightly bigger nip market, sold 428,641 bottles and earned $21,432.05, ranking 32nd. North Branford sold 150,450 nips for $7,522.50.
New Haven led the state by a wide margin, with 2,362,305 nips sold and $118,115.25 due to the city. West Haven ranked 12th at $45,878.40, and North Haven came in 65th at $13,138.90.
- East Haven: 417,358 nips, $20,867.90 (34th)
- Branford: 428,641 nips, $21,432.05 (32nd)
- North Branford: 150,450 nips, $7,522.50
- Statewide: about 51.3 million nips, $2,562,851.70
How the surcharge works
Since Oct. 1, 2021, liquor wholesalers have collected 5 cents on every container of spirits of 50 milliliters or less sold to a Connecticut package store. The state passes that money back to the town where the store is located, based on sales reports wholesalers file twice a year, covering the six months ending each March 31 and Sept. 30.
The money comes with strings. Under the state law that created the surcharge, towns must spend it on environmental measures meant to reduce solid waste or litter, which can include things like litter cleanup, recycling programs and storm drain filters.
The statewide picture
Across Connecticut, nip sales generated $2,562,851.70 for April through September, about 6.8% more than the $2,399,437.65 reported for October 2025 through March 2026. That works out to roughly 51.3 million bottles in six months.
The full town-by-town spreadsheet is posted on the Department of Consumer Protection’s nip sales data page.
Do you know how East Haven puts its nip money to work, or have you noticed litter cleanup in your neighborhood? Let us know at the email address below.
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