Systembolaget
| Systembolaget Aktiebolag
|
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|---|---|
 |
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| legal form | Aktiebolag , only the Swedish state can be a shareholder |
| founding | 1955 |
| Seat | Stockholm |
| management | Magdalena Gerger |
| Number of employees | 5360 (2015) |
| sales | 28.469 billion crowns (2016) |
| Branch | retail trade |
| Website | http://www.systembolaget.se/ |
Systembolaget ( colloquially also Systemet or Bolaget ) is a state-owned company in Sweden that has a monopoly on the retail sale of beverages with an alcohol content of more than 3.5 percent by volume . The company serves as an instrument for the state's alcohol policy and aims to curb alcohol consumption in Sweden. The basic idea behind the introduction was that it would be easier for a company with no profit interest to use different control instruments, such as B. rationing, can serve.
In communities where there is no Systembolaget store, there are partially licensed stores through which goods can be ordered from Systembolaget.
A minimum age of 20 years applies to buyers in the Systembolaget, while in restaurants and bars you can get alcohol from 18 years.
history
In the 18th and 19th centuries there were different and changing regulations in Sweden for the production and import of alcoholic beverages. In 1850, miners in Falun founded Systembolaget , the first company to sell and serve alcohol in the city in the interests of the general public. All profits were used for charitable purposes. Similar businesses sprang up in various cities in Sweden until the early 20th century. In 1860 burning for household purposes was banned.
From 1914 the rationing of alcoholic products was introduced with the Bratt system . In the 1920s, the import and export ( Vin & Spritcentralen ) and the distribution ( Systembolaget ) of alcoholic beverages were monopolized by the state. In 1955 the rationing was lifted again and the 41 local Systembolaget companies were formed into a state-owned company under the name Nya Systemaktiebolaget .
regulation
Sales in the Systembolaget stores are heavily regulated by law. No volume discounts may be granted and bundling e.g. B. in six carriers are prohibited. There must also be no unequal treatment of individual products. This means that it is not possible, for example, to offer only parts of the range chilled.
Originally, no self-service was provided in the shops. It was not until 1991 that self-service shops were gradually introduced, which today make up almost all branches.
Systembolaget and the European Union
After Sweden joined the European Union in 1995, Systembolaget continued to exist almost unchanged. Vin & Sprit's monopoly on import, export, manufacture and wholesale was lifted. Systembolaget only had to forego the monopoly on selling alcohol to restaurants. In a decision of the European Court of Justice in the so-called "Franzén Affair" it was established in 1997 that Systembolaget is compatible with EU law.
On June 5, 2007 the European Court of Justice ruled that the Swedish alcohol policy violated the principle of the free movement of goods in parts. According to this ruling, Swedish citizens will no longer be forced to order spirits from abroad through Systembolaget . You are now free to buy alcohol directly by mail order in other EU countries, but you have to pay the Swedish taxes on alcohol.
See also
Monopoly company for the sale of alcohol in other Nordic countries:
- Vinmonopolet in Norway
- Alko in Finland
- Vínbúðin in Iceland
- Rúsdrekkasøla Landsins in the Faroe Islands
Web links
- Systembolaget website (Swedish and partly English)
- History of Systembolaget (Swedish)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Bolagsordning. (PDF file) Systembolaget AB, April 24, 2014, accessed October 24, 2015 (Swedish).
- ↑ corta fakta om systembolaget. Systembolaget AB, accessed March 26, 2017 (Swedish).
- ↑ Resultaträkning - Ansvarsredovisning 2016. Systembolaget AB, accessed on 26 March 2017 (Swedish).
- ↑ Franzéndomen. systembolagethistoria.se, accessed on February 16, 2016 .
- ^ Swedish alcohol monopoly is crumbling. tagesschau.de from July 5, 2007, accessed on February 4, 2013.