Local producers who sell alcohol directly from their farms in the municipality of Stockholm will now be able to do so every day of the week, without the restrictions previously imposed by the city council. The Administrative Court has ruled against the municipal regulation, which required these sellers to keep the same opening hours as Systembolaget, Sweden’s state-owned alcohol retail monopoly.
The municipality of Stockholm had established that limitation as a condition for allowing so-called gårdsförsäljning — the direct sale of alcoholic beverages produced by the farmer or vintner on their own premises. However, the Administrative Court concluded that the opening-hours restriction violates current legislation and ordered that it be struck down.
The ruling represents a significant victory for small local producers of wine, craft beer and other alcoholic beverages operating in the Stockholm region, who had been calling for greater flexibility to carry out their commercial activities. Direct sales at the point of production are considered by many producers to be a fundamental channel for both their economic viability and for rural and gastronomic tourism.
This judicial decision is part of a broader debate that has been on the table in Sweden for years regarding whether alcohol monopoly regulations should be adapted to allow alternative forms of sales that benefit domestic producers.
Original source: SVT Nyheter