this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2026
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I'm really not sure if that's good or bad. I don't think anyone should drink alcohol, there are many other nice things to do that don't have such a high strain on society. On the other hand, drug prohibition has never worked.
There's no need for Alko monopoly, though. The original reason was to strongly limit consumption and sales, but now it's just a store chain that's pretty much comparable to the best alcohol stores in other countries.
Is Alko that bad? Because Systembolaget in Sweden does not even compare to the situation in Germany for example. In Germany, if you want the local or generic pils or weissbier or a budget whisky, you are fine. You want a fancy stout, a nice single malt scotch, you are fucked. You have to order from several different stores in remote cities. In Sweden, you just go to Systemet. So is Alko as bad as the situation in Germany really?
No, Alko is pretty much the same as Systembolaget in terms of quality of service.
It seems to be a telling sign between the reticent Swedes and forthright Finns that the former euphemise their booze outlet as the sinisterly bland “the system concern”, while the latter get straight to the point.
Interesting. In Norway, Vinmonopolet is consistently ranked as one of the most liked brands in the country (like top three, often in first place). The right-wingers have tried to privatize it a couple of times, but people (including their voters) just like it too much 😅
They did slightly extend the opening hours lately, though! And they do offer home delivery.