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OPINION AND ANALYSIS

Swedish clichés: Is the alcohol monopoly really a sign of an all-controlling state?

In this new series, The Local's reader Alexander de Nerée seeks to challenge some of the clichés about Sweden.

Published: 1 June 2022 17:03 CEST
Swedish clichés: Is the alcohol monopoly really a sign of an all-controlling state?
A man buying alcohol in a branch of Systembolaget. Photo: Isabell Höjman/TT

There are some undeniable truths about Sweden (lots of Volvos, lots of trees) but when asked, most people don’t get far past the usual clichés. And nor did I. 

A well-organized country full of high tax paying, IKEA flatpack-loving, slightly distant Fika fanatics, all happily queuing to buy some much-needed state-controlled booze to get through the never-ending cold and dark winters.

In this series, I give my take on some of the more commonly heard assumptions about life in Sweden and how I experience them.

When you are visiting family back home after your move to Sweden, you will note that nothing seems to get a tipsy uncle quite as riled up as your story about the state-controlled alcohol market. It’s also something that comes up surprisingly often when you tell people you live in Sweden. The mere mention of having to go to a special shop to purchase alcohol seems to set people off in a certain way.

That the shops are called Systembolaget, like some Soviet-era holdover obviously does little to calm your uncle down.

To start with the concept itself. Having grown up in The Netherlands, I was not bowled over with indignation at the idea of having to go to a separate shop to purchase my poison. Although supermarkets in the Netherlands do sell alcohol, it is pretty common to buy your wine, as well as any stronger stuff, at what Australians call a ‘bottle shop’  (which rather misses the point of what’s actually for sale).

READ ALSO: Like having sex in a church: Sweden’s uptight attitude to alcohol

Apart from having a larger assortment than supermarkets, these shops also have specialized staff that can recommend wines with your food. 

But with plenty of well-stocked and reasonably priced Systembolagets around and one right outside my local supermarket, I don’t think the airtime this topic gets when people talk about life in Sweden is actually justified.

For the now properly drunk uncle at your family dinner, the Systembolaget is of course a sign of a bigger problem with Sweden: the all-controlling state. The outrageous combination of high taxes, free healthcare and schooling and state-controlled alcohol must mean that the government has a finger in every aspect of life.

It turns out your uncle is engaging in a long-standing tradition that has been dubbed ‘Sweden bashing’. It started with Eisenhower, but in more recent years lesser statesmen dabbled in it as well. Although there is no clear definition, it seems to involve cherry-picking facts about Sweden – or alternatively just making them up – in order to ridicule the Swedish model. It’s a model that, according to the ideology of the bashers, should fail miserably but somehow stubbornly refuses to do so.

Despite the long-standing tradition of Sweden bashing, I think anyone who lives here will agree that in everyday life there is nothing particularly invasive about enjoying free education and healthcare in exchange for higher taxes. Come to think of it, that is pretty much the model applied in the Netherlands and they never got stuck with a reputation for an overbearing government. On the other hand, Holland does get bashed for easy access to drugs and euthanasia, so I guess you have to be careful what you wish for.

Considering it now really only functions as a lightning rod for politicians, it may not be a bad idea to let go of the state monopoly on alcohol sales.

As for the bashing itself, I think the current Swedish response to it works just fine: a light shrug of the shoulders and let the system speak for itself.

Alexander de Nerée moved to Stockholm with his husband in October 2020. He is Dutch, but moved from Zürich, Switzerland, after having lived in Hong Kong for 10 years. Not having been to Sweden before the move, Alexander had some broad assumptions about what life in Sweden would be like. In this series, he revisits these assumptions and gives his take.  Alexander wrote for series for The Local before about his “firsts” in Sweden.

Member comments

  1. You might be interested to know that a state monopoly on alcohol sale is not a unique feature of Sweden. Eighteen (of 50) U.S. states have a state monopoly on alcohol sales. Furthermore, 10% of US counties have “local option” bans on some or all alcohol sales. This local option prohibition was at one time, right after repeal of nationwide prohibition, very common. Now 16 U.S. States prohibit local option restriction on alcohol sale but the rest allow it. Since it is a local option, it is at the expressed preference of the voters in each jurisdiction and is gradually being reversed across the nation. Don’t forget that from 1920 to 1933, the U.S. had nationwide prohibition of the production and sale of alcohol for human consumption. It proved to be very difficult to enforce and a state monopoly on sales was widely adopted as a fall back measure to somewhat restrict alcohol availability. Nowadays, in most states it is simply a revenue earning measure and, as such, is often criticised.

  2. What surprises me about Systembolaget is that prices for European wines and spirits are considerably cheaper than in the US. I don’t mind that the state has a monopoly and that you can only buy at certain times if it means that i spend considerably less for my purchases. I’m told that the relatively cheap prices are because Systembolaget purchases in such huge quantities and that within the EU there are no import duties. What’s not to like?

  3. I grew up in New Jersey, USA which had a state monopoly on alcohol until only recently. I remember having to go to the liquor store and needing to plan in advance because it wasn’t open on Sundays. My town voted to allow liquor licenses for restaurants when I was in high school (my mom was excited about getting better restaurants to come to our town as a result), and the beach town my family went to every summer was a dry town. You had to make sure you went to the liquor store outside the city limits before coming in for vacation. At some point in the last 10+ years (I left New Jersey and the US in 2010), they lifted the restrictions. There is now alcohol sold in grocery stores when I am home visiting family. It seems to be the large, cheap types of alcohol and mixers, so I still go to the liquor stores for a bigger variety. The dry beach town my family still vacations in still does not have a liquor store, but they have allowed liquor licenses for restaurants on the boardwalk. I think it is still illegal to drink in public, though, which is why places like New Orleans (Louisiana) seem to have a novelty to them because you can drink on the street, bars give you the option to take your drinks to go, and you could always buy your alcohol anywhere. I remember visiting in 2016 and surprised I could buy alcohol at the pharmacy! I have lived in Singapore for the last 7 years (moving to Sweden over the summer), and you cannot buy alcohol in any store after 10.30pm. Before delivery services, there was no way to get alcohol unless you were in a restaurant, bar or club after 10.30pm (you can now circumvent this because the delivery services are “restaurants” so you can order after 10.30pm if you need/want). So, I don’t think it’s weird and am surprised to read the history of Swedish bashing, as if it is the only country that regulates the consumption of alcohol! Now that I think about it, it’s very similar to how people react to living in Singapore because of all of the restrictions/fines, but it’s interesting what Singapore bans (chewing gum) and what it regulates (prostitution). That’s a conversation for another day/website though…

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SWEDISH TRADITIONS

Why August is an underrated month for summer holidays in Sweden

In her first week back at work after an unusually late summer holiday (by Swedish standards, at least), The Local's Becky Waterton wonders why Swedes seem to overlook August as a great summer month.

Published: 20 August 2024 04:42 CEST
Updated: 24 August 2024 08:01 CEST
Why August is an underrated month for summer holidays in Sweden

Anyone who has spent the summer working in Sweden knows that the country grinds to a standstill after Midsummer when most people head out to their summer houses for three weeks (or more), returning in early August.

By the end of July, most Swedes are already back at work, lamenting the end of the summer as autumn approaches. At the start of August, I heard someone on the radio say that autumn was just around the corner. 

Maybe it’s due to my childhood spent in the UK, where school holidays usually don’t start until the end of July, but I couldn’t help but think that Swedes are overlooking one of the best summer months.

The weather is still great

Sure, the weather is usually good in July, too, but it’s not like temperatures drop to 15 degrees and the sun stops shining on August 1st (not every year, at least). In the last two years, at least down here in Skåne, the weather in August has been better than in July, with more sun and fewer rainy days.

Even if August is too hot or muggy for you, then surely you’d rather spend those stuffy, warm days lounging by the sea or a lake in a Swedish forest somewhere than sitting at your desk working?

There are fewer crowds

Another advantage of going on holiday when most of the country is already back at work is that any summer destinations or attractions are much quieter. In August, you can beat the crowds of schoolchildren and holidaying Swedes, which is much less stressful.

Of course, you might be joined by tourists from other countries where holidays in August are more common, whether that’s Brits travelling during their school holidays, or people from southern European countries like Italy or Spain coming to Sweden for a “coolcation” to escape the heat back home. 

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Even something as simple as a beach day or a day trip to a local castle or natural beauty spot can be much more enjoyable in August than in July, if you’re not a fan of big crowds.

One very specific advantage in taking August off for people living in Malmö where I live is that you can enjoy Malmöfestivalen – a music and food festival which takes over the city for a week – during the day, avoiding the crowds in the evening.

Flights are cheaper

Making the most of the quieter months also extends to going on holiday. If you’re lucky enough to be able to travel outside of the school holidays, you can save a lot of money by travelling in August instead of in July, and the airport will probably be emptier than usual too. 

This applies to train tickets, too. The summer rush (and some of the summer maintenance) is over, so it’s a good time to plan a day trip or Swedish getaway – although it’s probably a good idea to avoid the rush hour commuters.

You’re more likely to get the summer weeks you want

Although you’re always entitled to at least three consecutive weeks of holiday in the summer months, that doesn’t mean you’ll definitely get the exact three weeks of holiday in mid-July that you ask for, as everyone else probably wants those weeks too.

If you want time off in August, though, your boss will probably approve it happily, knowing that you’ll be able to cover for everyone else during those quiet weeks in July when everyone else is off at their summer house.

It makes your summer feel longer

If you choose to work through July and take August off, things aren’t exactly busy before you go on holiday. You probably won’t be able to get anything done that requires collaboration with anyone else, and you’ll most likely see your workload diminish.

That doesn’t mean you should start slacking off, but it does mean that the pace will naturally be slower than usual and things will be less stressful. And there’s nothing to stop you from heading to the beach, enjoying your daily fika coffee break in the sun outside, or meeting up with friends after work.

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By the time your colleagues are all returning from their holidays, you’re only just heading off on yours, which can make it feel like you’ve somehow hacked the system to get even more time off work during the summer to decompress.

Most of the shops and lunch restaurants are open again

During July, shops and restaurants in the city centre often close as staff take a break over the summer. If you’re on holiday in July, you can’t make the most of a cheaper midweek “dagens lunch” deal, as these often cater to office workers.

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In August, however, the workers are back and the restaurants are open again – and you can eat your cheap lunch while smugly remembering that you don’t need to rush back to the office once you’ve finished your meal.

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