Alcohol bill passes committee
As things stand, alcohol cannot be bought in food retail outlets. Photo: Heiðar Kristjánsson
The General Affairs and Education Committee of the Icelandic Parliament (‘Alþingi’) has concluded it deliberations on a parliamentary bill on the retail sale of alcohol. The bill will now have its second reading in Alþingi. The bill passes from committee to parliament despite not garnering the support of the majority of Committee members.
The bill had its first reading in Alþingi in October of last year and proposes lifting the ban on sales of alcohol in retail outlets in Iceland. The new rules would not be confined to beer and wine but would allow the sale of all types of alcohol, subject to certain conditions.
For instance, the bill proposes a ban on retail sales of alcohol after 8pm. Alcohol must be sold in a specific demarcated area within retail outlets and vendors should be over the required age. Licences are to be approved the local authorities in question and operations must meet specific storage standards, such as warehouse storage and security requirements, with the aim of preventing theft.
As things stand, Vínbúð (a chain of shops run by the Icelandic Alcohol and Tobacco Monopoly (ÁTVR)) is the sole legal vendor of alcohol for off-premises consumption in Iceland.
