There are several laws and rules governing how Systembolaget stores operate, such as: Systembolaget has a strict monopoly status on alcohol sales to consumers in Sweden, with the following exceptions: As part of their accession to the European Union in 1995, Sweden and Finland are the only two EU member states granted an exception of free trade agreements allowing state-run alcohol monopolies.

Beer is not so highly taxed anymore in order to protect Swedish breweries and their employment opportunities against purchase during travel abroad.

[10] In 1766 the Swedish king, Adolf Frederick, decided, after several unsuccessful attempts at regulating alcohol consumption, to abolish all restrictions.

An estimated 175,000[citation needed] home distilleries had developed by this time, using tremendous amounts of grain and potatoes that otherwise would have been consumed as food to manufacture alcohol.

Private gain from selling alcohol was strongly criticised by these groups; this opinion was embraced by doctors and members of the Church of Sweden.

This was where people both bought and drank their alcohol, and this subsequently became the foundation for the Gothenburg Public House System used in Norway, Finland and the UK.

Originally, Systembolaget customers were required to ask shop attendants or use desk service to retrieve desired products.

This policy was based on the hypothesis that personal, face-to-face interaction would discourage patrons from buying in conspicuous quantities.

In September 1996, Systembolaget began sales of bag-in-box cask wine[21] after the European Court of Justice ruled in favour of the Swedish brewery Spendrups who complained that Systembolaget's earlier refusal to sell boxed wine violated the EU's free trade agreement with Sweden.

In 2003, an almost free quota (for personal use) was allowed when traveling into Sweden from another EU country, resulting in lower sales for Systembolaget, especially in Scania, which borders Denmark by sea with a bridge.

In June 2007, the European Court of Justice ruled that restrictions on the private import of alcohol by postal package were unjustified;[6] as a result, Sweden allowed this some time after.

[citation needed][neutrality is disputed] A massive corruption scandal (Systembolagshärvan) first gained widespread media attention in the autumn of 2003, with Systembolaget issuing its first press release regarding the preliminary investigations on 7 November 2003.

[23] On 11 February 2005, 77 managers of Systembolaget stores were charged with receiving bribes from suppliers, and one of the largest trials in modern Swedish history followed.

[24][25] In January 2009 allegations were aimed against Fondberg & Co, the second largest supplier of wine to Systembolaget with a market share of 8.5%, concerning large payments made to the Gibraltar firm Bodegas, and are under investigation by the Swedish Tax Agency.

[26][needs update] Systembolaget makes advertisements on the side effects of drinking, and ones to encourage moderate consumption of alcohol.

According to a study conducted by David Karlsson, Sören Holmberg and Lennart Weibul in 2023, 59% of Swedes support that alcoholic beverages can still be purchased only in Systembolaget stores, and this proportion is constantly increasing.