The Farm Sales Debate: Driving Forces and Implications for the Swedish Alcohol Monopoly

Abstract: This thesis examines the structure of the Swedish alcohol industry by exploring the driving forces of the current farm sales debate and the implication it could induce the monopoly retailer, Systembolaget. The nature of monopolies defies the EU law of competition, however, Sweden has been granted an exception on which the existence of Systembolaget rests. The legislation of farm sales could potentially jeopardize this exception. The industry's history is reviewed in order to observe what values drive the transformational moments. Interviews with industry actors and stakeholders are conducted and then framed, which lays the foundation for an analysis in which historical values are explored as current driving forces. The result concludes four value conflicts and three paradoxical interests as the driving forces of the farm sales debate and predicts a continued monopolized market.