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Finland: step-by-step liberalisation of alcohol policy

Original case

June 2023, coalition agreement sets the direction

On 20 June 2023, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s coalition published its programme “Strong and caring Finland”. In the alcohol section, the government committed to reforming alcohol policy “in a European direction” and listed concrete steps, including raising the grocery-store strength limit to 8% for fermented drinks, examining wider wine availability (15% wines), enabling more direct sales for small producers, and clarifying the legal situation around cross-border purchasing and remote sales.


October 2023, draft law to raise the grocery-store limit to 8% The government opened consultation on an amendment to allow the sale of fermented drinks up to 8% in grocery stores (beer, cider, etc, with the fermented-only limitation).


June 2024, the “8% reform” enters into force The retail limit in grocery stores was raised to 8% for fermented alcoholic beverages, shifting part of sales from the monopoly retail channel to general retail outlets.


October 2024, government proposes home delivery and online sales The government proposed amending the Alcohol Act to allow delivery of alcoholic beverages to customers, including home delivery and online sales. The proposal introduced a new delivery licence and a delivery passport requirement for deliverers, and described safeguards such as strong electronic identification for online purchases and age checks at delivery, with enforcement through test purchases mentioned as a tool for authorities.


2024 to 2025, EU-level challenge and revision pressure

Finland’s approach to online sales and home delivery triggered EU scrutiny. NordAN reported in January 2025 that the European Commission rejected Finland’s draft on home delivery, with concerns that the model was discriminatory and disproportionate under EU internal market rules, and that Finland would need to revise the proposal.


2025, policy process continues with a broader package (delivery, distance selling, marketing)

In July 2025, NordAN submitted comments to Finland’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on draft legislation to amend the Alcohol Act (VN/1531/2024). NordAN summarised the draft as combining three major elements: home delivery from domestic retail and Alko, a legal route for cross-border distance sales for stronger beverages, and loosening restrictions on online marketing of strong alcoholic beverages.

What happened next

NordAN intervention and observation May 2023, NordAN letter during the coalition negotiation periodNordAN circulated an appeal arguing that weakening Finland’s alcohol retail monopoly would have wider consequences for the Nordic alcohol policy model and public health.

November 2023, NordAN input to the EU TRIS process on the 8% draf tNordAN submitted concerns to the European Commission under TRIS notification 2023/0543/FI, highlighting public health and coherence issues around raising the retail strength limit.


2024, NordAN contribution to TRIS notification 2024/0521/FI

NordAN submitted a TRIS contribution opposing proposed amendments related to alcohol deliveries and broader availability, with emphasis on public health implications and enforcement risks.


July 2025, NordAN consultation submission on VN/1531/2024

NordAN provided a detailed consultation response to Finland’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, covering the proposed package (home delivery, distance selling route for stronger products, and online marketing changes) and raising public health, legal, and enforcement concerns.


2025, NordAN contribution on TRIS notification 2025/0315/FI

NordAN submitted a contribution focusing on non-discrimination, proportionality, and practical enforceability in the design of the proposed distance-selling and delivery framework, including how responsibilities are assigned between foreign remote sellers and the last-mile deliverer in Finland.


Context cited in the debate, health impacts of the previous major liberalisation step (2018)

Finland’s Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) reported that alcohol-related diseases and intoxications caused around 160 more deaths per year in 2019 and 2020 compared to before the 2017 change, after the 2018 reform came into force. This finding has been repeatedly referenced in later policy discussions about further availability increases.

 

Administrative change (relevant for enforcement capacity)

Licensing and supervision responsibilities for alcohol matters are being moved to the new Finnish Supervisory Agency from 1 January 2026, replacing Valvira and the Regional State Administrative Agencies in these functions.

 

Brief timeline of main developments


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