Internet wine shops can sell directly to Swedish consumers and bypass the monopoly
The Swedish wine market is dominated by the monopoly retailer, Systembolaget (just like Alko in Finland and Vinmonopolet in Norway). Since a few years back there are a number of independent internet-based wine merchants selling directly to Swedish consumers. A interesting new channel to market.
Note: This article was originally written in 2012. We continuously update the list of online wine shops with new ones we discover. The description of the regulations should still be mainly correct but may have changed somewhat.
This new feature of the Swedish wine market comes from an EU-ruling a few years back. The alcohol monopoly in Sweden is an exception to the EU free market directive that the Swedish government succeeded to negotiate. The free market directive would normally forbid a monopoly. However, the Swedish government successfully argued that the alcohol monopoly was vital for the public health (a fact that can be questioned with good reason if one looks at statistics).
The EU agreed to let Sweden maintain the monopoly for alcohol retail under one condition: that vendors based in other EU countries (outside of Sweden) would be allowed to sell directly to consumers. All this is of course ring-fenced with many other regulations.
From this has sprung a number of companies that sell wine and spirits over the internet directly to Swedish consumers. The typical set-up is a company created by some Swedish wine enthusiasts or entrepreneurs. They create a company that is based in another EU country (the seller must be based outside of Sweden). Popular countries to base the activity in are neighbouring Denmark and Germany, but also the Balkans and even Malta are used. Malta is actually the legal home base for what seems to be the most successful “Swedish” eshop (run by an Australian).
They then create an ecommerce site in Swedish with a marketing targeting Swedish consumers. The warehouse where the wine is stored and from where deliveries are made must also be located outside of Sweden.
The EU ruling (and Swedish law) also says that Swedish alcohol duty and VAT must be paid on the products, even if VAT has been paid in the country of origin (where the seller is based). This is contradictory to VAT rules on most other transactions and goods within the EU but is based on an EU court case that has established precedence. Many of the eshops take care of that formality on behalf of the buyer, but others leave it to the buyer to declare the goods and pay taxes to the Swedish government.
This internet commerce in wine, direct to consumers, exists since a few years back and is still very marginal. Probably less than one percent of the wines consumed in Sweden come this route. But it is growing and represents a potentially interesting channel for wine producers or wine merchants in the EU especially since it can be a way to reach customers with quality products made in smaller quantities than what is needed for a listing at the Systembolaget monopoly.
Here is a list of the companies selling wines and spirits directly to the Swedish consumer. It is not a complete catalogue or directory of all Swedish internet wine shops (there is none) but it is a pretty good approximation.
Important: if you are looking for our list of Swedish wine importers, those that primarily sell to the retail monopoly Systembolaget and to restaurants, you can find it here: The Big List of Swedish Wine Importers.
The Big List of “Swedish” Internet Wine Shops
Updated: 7 December 2022
- Atomwine, www.atomwine.dk
- Bodegashop, www.bodegashop.com
- Bombwine, https://bombwine.se/
- Burkbolaget, burkbolaget.com
- Cape Wine Experience, https://www.capewineexperience.com/
- Carliot Fine Wine Imports, https://carliot.com/
- Cavarosa Wine, https://cavarosawine.se/
- Caviste, www.caviste.se
- Champagnebutiken, https://butik.champagnebutiken.net/
- Champagnen.se, https://champagnen.se/
- Champagne Voyage, https://champagnevoyage.com/
- Château Wines Direct, https://chateauwinesdirect.se/
- Drinko, www.drinko.se
- Fanwine, https://fanwine.se/handla/
- Flaskposten, shop.flaskposten.eu
- Franska Vinkompaniet, www.franskavinkompaniet.com
- Franska Vinlistan, www.franskavinlistan.com
- Fria Viner, https://friaviner.se
- Gassas Wine, gassaswine.se, including Invinitum, Wine Stories and Utvalda Viner
- House of Wine & Spirits, www.wine-and-spirits.se
- Ivinio, http://www.ivinio.com
- Kran, https://kran.vin/
- La Maison Hansby, https://www.lamaisonhansby.com
- Oribus Wein, https://oribuswein.de/vinpaket/
- Philipson Wine, https://philipsonwine.com/ (*)
- Pompette, https://www.pompette.eu/
- Provencespecialisten (in collaboration with Franska Vinkompaniet), http://provence-specialisten.se/ (potentially insecure ecommerce site – not encrypted)
- Spritovin, http://www.spritovin.se/ (potentially insecure ecommerce site – not encrypted)
- Superiore, https://www.superiore.de (*)
- Terroirviner, terroirviner.com
- The Wine Company / Hawesko / Hanseatisches Wein & Sekt Konto, www.the-wine-company.se
- Tidblom Group (med Carliot Fine Wines and Deliovin), https://tidblomgroup.com/
- Topwines, https://www.topwines.se/
- Vild med vin, https://www.vildmedvin.se/ (*)
- Vinfolket, vinfolket.se (prev. Italienska Magasinet)
- Vingrossen, www.vingrossen.com
- Vinlådan, www.vinladan.nu
- Vinoch, www.vinoch.se
- Vinoteket, vinoteket.se (prev.: Vintjänsten, Mark’s Viner, Australian Wine Club / Antipodes Premium Wines Ltd), with affiliated shops:
- Fine Wine Society
- Allt om Mat Vinklubb
- Vinsajten, www.vinsajten.com
- Vinsummum, https://www.vinsummum.com
- Vinupplevelser, http://vinupplevelser.se/ (potentially insecure ecommerce site – not encrypted)
- Vivino, https://www.vivino.com/SE/sv/ (*)
- Wine iPass, www.wine-ipass.se
- Winebuddi, https://winebuddi.se/
- Winefinder, www.winefinder.dk
- Winetales, https://winetales.se/
- Xwine, www.xwine.se
(*) indicates that it is not a shop that specifically targets consumers in Sweden but is one that does deliveries to Sweden.
Do you know of more?
Do you have any experience with any of them?
Write a comment!
39 Responses
Hi! I am based in Asia and I was wondering if you would happen to know of any wine shops that can facilitate delivery to a Swedish address as a gift to a friend of mine?
Thanks!
Jay
Try any of those on the list above. You’ll find that most don’t have wines interesting enough to give as gifts but some do. And all of them normally do home delivery.
This is a New shop with special offers
http://Www.Burkbolaget.com
Hello,
I sell organic wines in Sweden.
But my site is only available in French.
https://www.levertetlevin.com/
Regards.
JM IMBERDIS
JM,
Thanks for the info. However, currently I am limiting the list to those who are specifically targeting Sweden and an important aspect of that is to have the web site in Swedish. Otherwise the list would get very long since virtually anyone within the EU can sell to Sweden, although there may be some legal limitations relating to registering and paying taxes.
-Per
Thank’s for the answer.
hi there
we are looking for new markets and new countries over the world and especially Sweden to sale our product our wine is from the middle east LEBANON good taste and fine leaves from France we had many European certification and many awards .
if there any body interested don’t hesitated to contact us and we are looking to have good Swedish partner and have good business
regards
general manger
Elie abboud
Hello !
Great article ! Ever heard of http://www.bodegashop.com ? Seems ligid and great but why ask for social security number to order ? Probably to make sure you’re scandinavian but seems weird to me ? Any feedback on that one ?
Cheers !
Hj, i have one more Site found. https://www.drinkexport.com
best regards
That does not look like a serious and real business.
Why? I have buy bottles. Transport 5 days.
@ Mahlgr – Well, the design looks very amateurish, not as if it is a proper company who has made it. It looks rather like a spam site actually. The language is incredibly poor. Full of errors and in some places impossible to understand. There is no info about who this company actually is.
Perhaps it is a real business but everything looks like it is not.
But I am glad that it worked for you!
(unless of course you are actually related to the “company”, which is also a possibility)
…and I just have a lokk at the french wine. There’re just “shit wines”… Please don’t drink that. Your stomach will thank me. ;-)
Thanks for sharing this list. But is it legal to import sprit to sweden?
Övrigt
Är det lagligt att privatimpotera för eget bruk ? Ja, Sverige förlorade striden om nätspriten i EU:s domstol. Domen presenterades på tisdagsförmiddagen (5/6 2007) och slår fast att det svenska
Can you please advise which company would deliver wine to Svarstsjo (approx £25 -£35)
Thanks
Did you try any?
I was trying to book wine through our UK agent but they have told me it is not possible due to partial prohibition – Is this the case?
Do you know of any reputable companies that would send wine to this area?
Thank you
“partial prohibition”, your UK agent seems not to quite know what he is talking about.
Why don’t you try any of those on the list? And let us know if it works.
If it is legal also depends on if you are acting as a private individual (legal under certain conditions) or if you are acting as a business/company (has to go through an importer/get an import license).
Where’s Svarstsjo? I don’t find this town…. Sweden?
Svarstsjo is in Sweden – thanks
As you’re in Sweden, I can send you wine. But only if you’re an individual. Not to a company. And maximum 33 bottles.
See here: https://levertetlevin.com/
Hi,
We can also send plum brandy from Serbia to Swedish address, unlimited quantity.
http://www.tastebrandy.com
For information, we have had an email regarding this from “Dijana, Marketing, Taste Brandy Team”, using a generic gmail address, with the following contents:
“Dear Madam/ Sir,
We found a post on your blog mentioning our name: https://www.bkwine.com/features/more/swedish-internet-wine-merchants/
Certain person named herself Jennifer left a post that we, tastebrandy can ship unlimited quantities of spirits to Sweden. Unfortunately, this is not true, we are very limited in delivering alcohol to Sweden. Someone obviously had a bad intention. There is no Jennifer in our team.
In order not to misinform further your visitors, please just remove the post.
Best regards,
Dijana
Marketing
Taste Brandy Team”
I do not know which of the two is correct.
Hello we are interested to send our wine to Sweden our product is from lebanon if anyone is interested don’t hesitate to contact us or inbox us 0096170131462 /ea_worldwild@hotmail.com
I can`t believe it. Thats a big problem that shops can sell wine and beer online
Hello everybody,
we ship best german wine from the region of the AHR all over europe. Our favorite wine is the Spätburgunder/Pinot Noir and there Blanc de noir. Please take a look. Regards and all the best from germany Micha
Does anyone know who can send french champagne and flowers together in Stockholm Sweden?!
Thank you
No Tess, I don’t think so. that would have to be sent from abroad and that would make it hard to do it with flowers…
As Per said, it will be hard to find flowers AND Champagne together.
I just can send Champagne…
Do any of these sites let you order just one bottle of wine as a gift? Every site I look at wants me to order a minimum of 6 bottles.
I imagine some would, Sarah, but the shipping cost would of course be higher — counted per bottle. Shipping one probably costs as much as shipping 6.
Hi!
It is possible now to order wine to Sweden directly from the producers on WineJump.com Huge selection too, from 1500 wineries.
Thanks for the info. However, since the site seems not specifically to target Swedish customers I will not include it in the list in the article.