Radio | News week in plain Finnish | Saturday 2.8.2025

Alcohol Act reform

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The topic of the week is the change in the alcohol law. Parties and Finns disagree on the proposal.

If the new law is passed, alcohol can, for example, be ordered directly to your door.

Home delivery of alcohol may be allowed

Wolt food deliveryman Timur scrolls through his phone.

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If the law changes, alcohol can be ordered directly to your door. Photo: Benjamin Suomela / Yle

There has been a lot of talk about alcohol this summer.

The government has submitted a proposal to amend the Alcohol Act. The law has been in the public consultation phase, meaning that various experts are evaluating it.

The comment period ended at the end of July.

The proposed amendment has received a lot of feedback. Most of the feedback has been negative.

The new proposal allows for the remote sale and home delivery of all types of alcohol. Advertising of alcoholic beverages will also be made easier.

You can now order Alko products from the online store, but they must be picked up in store or at a pickup point.

What is new in the law is that foreign companies can also sell alcohol to Finland.

Change in alcohol law raises concerns

![overview.](https://images.cdn.yle.fi/image/upload/c_crop,h_3035,w_5395,x_0,y_438/ar_1.777777777777 7777,c_fill,g_faces,h_431,w_767/dpr_1.0/q_auto:eco/f_auto/fl_lossy/v1712302683/39-791796606c5f7ddba38)

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In the future, you can legally buy strong alcohol from foreign online stores and have it delivered to your door, if the government’s legal intentions are implemented. Photo: Mikko Koski / Yle Photo: Mikko Koski / Yle

The change in the alcohol law is also causing concern. Some Finns support home delivery, while others oppose it.

Many social and health organizations and welfare areas oppose the change. The organizations believe that risk groups will start drinking more.

There may be more harms from alcohol, such as liver disease, mental health problems, accidents, domestic violence and child welfare needs.

The organizations also say that it is difficult to monitor the age limit for home delivery.

The parties also disagree on changing the alcohol law. The Christian Democrats are the most opposed to the change.

Kauppa and Alko support the change

The picture shows Alko’s Communications Director Maritta Iso-Aho.

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Alko’s Communications Director Maritta Iso-Aho says that Alko has a positive attitude towards home delivery of alcohol. Photo: Photo: Alko Photo: Photo: Alko

The new alcohol law is gaining support from grocery stores. The Grocery Store Association PTY now has a positive view of the proposal.

The Finnish Tourism and Restaurant Services Association, MaRa, on the other hand, criticizes the proposal.

The service sector union PAM says that home delivery is an occupational safety risk.

The state monopoly company Alko is positive about home delivery. Alko says that alcohol has been delivered to homes in Sweden and Norway for many years.

However, the share is only about 1 percent.

Repetition

The topic of the news week was the change in the alcohol law.

If the new law is approved, Finns will be able to order drinks at home, for example.

The public comment period on the law has just ended.

The news week in plain Finnish again tomorrow, Sunday. See you again, see you later!