Red-Green Coalition Tried to Restrict Farm Sales – Reprimanded by Court

The City of Stockholm, governed by the Social Democrats, Left Party, and Green Party, can no longer restrict farm sales of alcohol to the same opening hours as Systembolaget. This was determined by the Administrative Court in Stockholm after the municipality’s decision was appealed.

The ruling means that businesses with a license for farm sales can now sell alcohol every day of the week within the hours set by national legislation.

Since farm sales were introduced a year ago, breweries, vineyards, and similar producers have had the opportunity to sell alcohol directly to visitors. According to the law, sales may take place between 10:00 and 20:00 every day of the week.

Despite this, the City of Stockholm chose to introduce more restrictive hours. Sales were matched to Systembolaget’s opening hours, which, among other things, meant being closed on Sundays and having limited hours on Saturdays.

The decision was appealed by, among others, the Christian Democrats, who argued that the municipality exceeded what the law allows.

Now the administrative court agrees with the critics. The court finds that the municipality lacks legal support for imposing general restrictions that apply to all businesses.

– The city council cannot introduce general guidelines that restrict the individual assessment, writes the court’s chair Marie-Jeanette Axélius Friberg in a press release.

According to the court, each application for farm sales must be examined individually. Shorter opening hours may still be decided in individual cases, but this requires specific reasons linked to the particular business.

The administrative court also asserts that general municipal restrictions are not supported by legislation.

The Christian Democrats in Stockholm, however, welcome the ruling. The party’s group leader, Nike Örbrink, argues that the decision shows the city’s red-green coalition tried to oppose the government’s reform through rules lacking legal backing.

“The ruling clearly shows how the left-wing leadership in the city does not hesitate to try to counteract the government’s policy by breaking the law,” writes group leader Nike Örbrink (KD) to SVT.