Farm-gate alcohol sales in Sweden: Implications for businesses, consumers, and market dynamics
Short description
Since June 2025, small-scale Swedish producers have been allowed to sell alcohol directly to visitors on site. This is one of the most significant changes to Sweden's alcohol market in recent history. But what happens when a strictly regulated market is partially liberalised? Who benefits? How do businesses adapt? What impact does it have on consumers, tourism and retail?
Currently, there is no systematic knowledge about how farm-gate alcohol sales reshape businesses, consumer practices and market dynamics within the Swedish context. This project aims to address this issue.
It examines how farm-gate sales are transforming the business models and strategies of wineries, microbreweries and distilleries, how consumers' habits and values surrounding locally produced alcohol are evolving, and how a new market is emerging at the intersection of craft production, tourism and retail.
The project follows market developments over three years using interviews with producers and consumers, field observations, document analysis, and surveys. The findings will provide policymakers, regional stakeholders and businesses with actionable insights into the opportunities created by farm-gate alcohol sales.
Researchers
Principal investigator: Johan Hagberg, Professor of Business Administration
Project members: Ileyha Dagalp, Postdoctoral Researcher; Erik Lundberg, Associate Professor
All staff at the Department of Business Administration, School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg