The doors to Systembolaget opened for the first time in October 1955 and today there are approximately 450 stores located in basically all of Sweden’s municipalities.
At first, the Swedes were, to say the least, happy about the spirit. The high alcohol sales led to a shock increase in the price of the alcohol and at the same time a campaign was started with the aim that the customer would rather buy wine or another drink with a lower alcohol content.
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Sales of spirits decreased by 13 million liters and wine increased by 6.5 million litres. More and more customers choose wine instead of spirits.
Systembolaget has today closed during public holidays and Sundays. Image source: Oscar Olsson/TT
Today, Systembolaget makes several conscious choices so that Swedes drink less. Among other things, Systembolaget is closed during public holidays, is open for a shorter time on Saturdays and is completely closed every Sunday.
Perhaps you yourself thought that there are never any red SALE signs inside Systembolaget? It is also so that customers are not tempted to shop more.
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In an interview with Systembolaget told Teodor Almqvist, press officer at Systembolaget that the store is also decorated in a way that will make the customer shop sparingly.
– Simply put, you can say that what other stores do to sell more, we do the opposite. For example, we don’t have goods on the shelves, there is no alcohol at the cash registers in our stores, but there is a “return cart” where you can easily put away drinks you no longer want to buy, he said and continued:
Many customers today order drinks to the store. Image source: Martina Holmberg / TT
– We also don’t have an inventory you have to go through in our stores, but you should always be able to quickly find what you want to buy and then get to the checkout without having to walk around unnecessarily, he concluded
You can buy it at Systembolaget – all year round
As an employee at Systembolaget, you get to help customers find what they need on a daily basis. It can be everything from which white wine you should have to the smoked prawns, what is the difference between Barolo and Amarone or which Gin is best for the drinks.
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Something that is also common is placing orders for customers for wines that may not be available in the store. It costs nothing extra to order in store, but as a customer you only pay for the drinks.
But there is one item that not everyone is aware of that you can order – all year round. The product is nothing less than mulled wine.
Are you also a mulled wine lover? Image source: Fredrik Sandberg/TT
Now that autumn is approaching, mulled wine news has started to appear here and there. But the truth is that when the mulled wine then disappears from the shelves, it can still be ordered.
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– Customers can order or ask in store for the mulled wine that is in stock. In other words, there is no sharp boundary for when the sale starts or ends. On the other hand, the stores take out signs and the entire range of mulled wine in store on the first of November. Many stores then remove it during January, but at some stores they can remain longer, until the first of March at the latest, an employee at Systembolaget tells Nyheter24.
So if you get an acute craving for mulled wine in, for example, June (despite Edward Blom would squirm in agony) – well, then you just have to order or see if it’s in stock.