TORONTO, ONTARIO – Mac's Convenience Stores is giving customers a glimpse of the future with a colorful "Free Our Beer" in-store campaign.

Launched last week at 60 Mac's stores across the province, the campaign features a large poster of an open fridge that appears to hold shelves of ice-cold beer. The poster asks: What if you could buy beer here?

The display helps customers imagine what it would be like to actually purchase beer at their neighborhood Mac's store. It also invites them to sign a "Free Our Beer" petition, which supports the call for alcohol products to be sold at convenience stores in the province. More than 300,000 Ontarians have already signed the petition.

"The Mac's campaign is a fun, creative way of showing our customers what the inside of their Mac's store may well look like - perhaps not so long from now," said Tom Moher, vice president of operations at Mac's Convenience Stores Inc. "We can certainly foresee the day when beer, wine and spirits are sold at Mac's stores throughout the province."

Moher emphasized that the people of Ontario “want to be able to purchase alcohol products at their local convenience store. In fact, a survey by the Ontario Convenience Stores Association (OCSA) indicates that 67% want that option."

In June, Mac's announced that it would create 1,600 new, full-time jobs if it could sell beer, wine and spirits at its 547 stores in Ontario. The employment estimate came shortly after the release of a study by the OCSA, which found that the Government of Ontario would benefit from increased revenues if alcohol were permitted for sale in convenience stores.

Currently, only two Mac's stores in the province — "agency" outlets in Craigleith and Thamesford — are permitted to sell alcohol products.

"We're experienced, responsible retailers of alcohol products throughout Canada, the United States and the world," he added. "We're proud of our record, and our contributions to the communities we serve."