Background & Purpose
Current laws require establishments to serve food and have a kitchen to be granted a liquor license. The government wants to simplify these rules while maintaining safety.
The Decision
The Swedish parliament decided to remove the mandatory food service requirement, the need for a kitchen, and specific rules regarding seating and drink bars.
Does this affect you?
- Bar and pub owners: They can now operate and serve alcohol without the financial and logistical burden of running a full-scale kitchen.
- Catering businesses: They gain more flexibility in their operations as they no longer need to maintain their own kitchen to hold a liquor license.
In Practice
- Establishments can obtain a liquor license without having a kitchen or serving food.
- The requirement for seating and specific drink bar regulations is abolished.
- Catering businesses no longer need their own kitchen to get a license.
- The requirement to serve food when selling low-alcohol beer (folköl) is removed.