se.bev-cuvee.org · AS OF 2026-11-10
Sweden
The business-to-business (B2B) hub for beverage alcohol: the trade rulebook for beverage alcohol, country by country, each section with its official sources.
As of 2026-11-10
Market status
State monopoly. Systembolaget holds the state retail monopoly for spirits, wine, strong beer and other fermented alcoholic drinks, subject to statutory exceptions. Licensed farm sales form a limited exception. The retail monopoly does not reserve wholesale trade to the state: approved private wholesalers may supply authorised business buyers.
Sources
- https://www.government.se/government-agencies/swedish-alcohol-retailing-monopoly--systembolaget-aktiebolag/
- https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/alkohollag-20101622_sfs-2010-1622/
- https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/the-public-health-agency-of-sweden/living-conditions-and-lifestyle/andtg/legal-requirements-for-manufacturing-importing-wholesale-and-retail-alcohol/rules-for-the-manufacturing-and-trade-with-alcoholic-beverages/wholesale/
- https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/regler-och-tillsyn/tillsynsvagledning-och-stod/tillsynsvagledning-for-forsaljning-av-alkoholdrycker-och-alkoholdrycksliknande-preparat/gardsforsaljning-av-alkoholdrycker/vagledning-for-gardsforsaljning-av-alkoholdrycker/
Who can trade
Customs identification: An Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number is required for business customs operations.
Import, wholesale and distribution: The Swedish Tax Agency approves warehousekeepers or registered recipients for wholesale trade in the covered products. Approval determines which beverage categories the operator may trade and import. Wholesalers may supply the retail monopoly, other authorised wholesalers, holders of qualifying serving licences and approved tax-exempt users. Sellers must verify the buyer’s purchasing or resale entitlement. Sales reporting obligations apply.
Business-to-business (B2B) online sale: Wholesale buyer eligibility applies to the trade. Specific confirmation of electronic wholesale contracting requirements: Not yet sourced. A wholesale approval does not itself authorise ordinary direct consumer retail sales.
Additional premises and food-business registrations: Not yet sourced.
Sources
- https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/customs/customs-procedures-import-and-export/customs-operations/economic-operators-registration-and-identification-number-eori_en?prefLang=it
- https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/the-public-health-agency-of-sweden/living-conditions-and-lifestyle/andtg/legal-requirements-for-manufacturing-importing-wholesale-and-retail-alcohol/rules-for-the-manufacturing-and-trade-with-alcoholic-beverages/wholesale/
- https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/alkohollag-20101622_sfs-2010-1622/
Customs and duty
Tariff headings: Beer made from malt: 2203. Wine of fresh grapes, including fortified wine and certain grape must: 2204. Other fermented beverages, including cider, and qualifying mixtures: 2206. Spirits, liqueurs and other spirituous beverages: 2208.
Import duty: The European Union common customs tariff applies to third-country imports. Detailed classification, origin, preferences, quotas and other tariff measures determine the duty. The Integrated Tariff of the European Union (TARIC) supplies the applicable measures; a four-digit heading alone does not establish the payable duty.
Excise: Beer duty uses litres and alcoholic strength, with a zero-rate band up to 2.8%. Wine and other fermented beverages, including qualifying cider, use product volume and strength bands. Intermediate products have a separate schedule. Spirits duty uses litres of pure alcohol. Reduced rates apply to qualifying independent small producers.
Territorial treatment: European Union customs and excise rules apply in Sweden.
Sources
- https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32016R1872
- https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/customs/common-customs-tariff-cct/calculation-customs-duties_en
- https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/online-services/online-services-and-databases-customs/eu-customs-tariff-taric_en
- https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/taxation/vat/vat-directive/how-does-vat-work/territorial-scope_en
- https://www.skatteverket.se/foretag/skatterochavdrag/punktskatter/alkoholskatt/skattesatser.4.4a47257e143e26725aecb5.html
Labelling
Required language(s): Swedish, or a language differing only insignificantly from Swedish. Wine information has a language exception, but allergen information must be in Swedish.
Mandatory warnings: Ingredient-dependent statements apply, including relevant sweetener and aspartame warnings. A general national alcohol-health or pregnancy warning: Not yet sourced.
Alcohol strength: Beverages above 1.2% alcohol by volume declare their actual alcoholic strength; wine follows its sector-specific rules.
Allergens: Relevant allergens require declaration. Without an ingredient list, the declaration uses “contains” followed by the allergen. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites above 10 milligrams per kilogram or litre, expressed as total sulphur dioxide, require declaration.
Origin: Wine requires provenance. Other beverages require origin where omission misleads; an origin claim can trigger primary-ingredient origin requirements.
Wine particulars: Ingredient and nutrition declarations apply, with transitional treatment for wine produced before 8 December 2023. Electronic disclosure is conditional; allergens and energy remain on the physical label.
Sources
Age and sale limits
Legal purchase age: 20 for monopoly retail and licensed farm sales; 18 for on-premises service and retail sale of medium-strength beer within the statutory category.
Channel limits: Farm sales require the prescribed producer-visit arrangement and cannot use electronic commerce or other distance sales. Ordinary retail rights remain separate from wholesale approval. Monopoly outlet hours and other wholesale-specific hour restrictions: Not yet sourced.
Sources
- https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/alkohollag-20101622_sfs-2010-1622/
- https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/regler-och-tillsyn/tillsynsvagledning-och-stod/tillsynsvagledning-for-forsaljning-av-alkoholdrycker-och-alkoholdrycksliknande-preparat/gardsforsaljning-av-alkoholdrycker/vagledning-for-gardsforsaljning-av-alkoholdrycker/
Protected names
Protection framework: The European Commission maintains the legal registration database for protected food, wine and spirit names, alongside a register of protected traditional wine terms. Registration status and product specifications determine the applicable protection.
Verified examples: Rioja and Champagne are protected designations of origin for wine. These examples are not an exhaustive list.
Additional named spirit, beer and cider protections: Not yet sourced.
Sources
GTIN authority
Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) member organisation: GS1 Sweden.
Sources
Not yet sourced
Specific electronic wholesale contracting requirements; additional premises and food-business registrations; monopoly outlet hours and other wholesale-specific hour restrictions: Not yet sourced.
General national alcohol-health or pregnancy warning; additional named spirit, beer and cider protections: Not yet sourced.
Library catalogue: bev-cuvee.org · this page as data: mcp.bev-cuvee.org/mcp (get_rulebook, code se)