Govt mulls allowing sales of wines with up to 15% alcohol outside Alko

The government has taken an initiative to assess the possibility to allow sales of wines with up to 15% alcohol outside Alko monopoly, said an official press release.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment have appointed Antti Neimala to carry out a study in this regard.

The study was agreed in the government programme, and it is part of the reform package on alcohol regulation.

The study is due be completed before the Government’s mid-term policy review session in spring 2025.

The rapporteur will explore the options for allowing the sales of wines outside the Alko monopoly and assess their impacts on, for example, the population’s health and wellbeing, employees, the freedom to engage in commercial activity, the functioning of the market, competition, alcohol supervision, general government finances, and internal order and security.

The rapporteur is also tasked with assessing the impacts on the operations, duties and position of Alko Inc. and on the operations of consumer goods trade, alcohol producers, importers, wholesalers, restaurants and shipping companies.

In addition, the rapporteur will assess the preconditions deriving from competition law and EU law for the options for allowing the sales of wines also elsewhere than in Alko shops.

Neimala has previously served as Director General at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, as Director General of the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority and as Consumer Ombudsman.

The work of the rapporteur will be guided and monitored by a steering group chaired by Director General Taneli Puumalainen from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, with Director General Jan Hjelt from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment acting as vice chair.