‘End of an era’ for Vinmonopolet

Norway’s state wine and liquor monopoly, Vinmonopolet, was ending an era this week by phasing out the last of its retail outlets where customers had to place their orders from behind a counter. For decades, that was the norm when buying wine, liquor and even strong beer in Norway. Customers weren’t allowed to wander through [...]

New wine shop aims to be world’s best

So much for talk of hard times in Norway. The state-run liquor retailer, aptly called Vinmonopolet, has greatly expanded one of its high-grossing outlets in downtown Oslo and claims it will boast one of the best selections of wines in the world. Customers spent millions on opening day. Vinmonopolet re-opened its expanded store in Oslo’s [...]

More support for strict alcohol laws

You’d never guess it after seeing the crowds in Strømstad, the Swedish border town where booze costs much less than in Norway, but a new survey indicates that more Norwegians now support their country’s strict laws regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages. A solid majority still thinks alcohol is too expensive, however, while another survey [...]