Taxes on beer, wine and spirits could go up in 2017, as part of government efforts to raise almost 400 million kronor ($50 million).
A Swedish microbrewery has told The Local how it ran into trouble when it tried to get its new label past officials at state-run alcohol monopoly Systembolaget.
Two of the six store managers in the third Systembolaget bribery trial have admitted to taking bribes. One had confessed earlier but the second admitted to the crime when court proceedings began on Wednesday.
Sweden's state monopolies on alcohol, pharmacies and gaming were created decades ago to promote social justice and public health, but now they are under threat from the European Union and a possible change of government after Sunday's general election.
The board of Systembolaget has decided not to renegotiate managing director Anitra Steen's pension deal.
The pension deal for Anitra Steen, managing director of Sweden's state-owned alcohol monopoly, Systembolaget, breaks government guidelines, according to Metro.
Fifteen former managers of Systembolaget stores in the south and west of Sweden were given fines amounting to between 50 and 110 days' income by Helsingborg district court on Thursday.
The former managing director of alcohol wholesaler Vin-Trägårdh could have acted illegally without the knowledge of the rest of the company.
Swedes prefer to shop at the ICA supermarket chain, are satisfied with Apoteket, the state-run pharmacy, and think that Systembolaget has improved since last year. The best DIY store is Beijer.
The vice managing director of alcohol wholesaler Vin-Trägårdh, one of the defendants in the ongoing Systembolaget corruption trial, has said that a notorious sales letter which was sent out to Systemet store managers was only intended for internal staff.
The lawyer who is representing the managing director of Vin-Trägårdh, the wine supplier which has been accused of bribing managers of Systembolaget stores, has himself been charged with serious corruption.
There was a glimmer of good news for Sweden's state-owned alcohol monopoly, Systembolaget, on Tuesday, as figures from the first six months of the year showed a slight increase in sales.