Alko – Finland’s State Sommelier Navigates Changing Times

By: Rennack Sebastian Date: 2025. 07. 30. 09:30

A store format unlike any other in Europe: Alko is Finland’s state-owned liquor retailer, operating under strict legal and social mandates. This exclusive shop-floor report offers first-hand insight into how a monopoly liquor chain positions itself in a liberalising market.

Sebastian Rennack
international retail analyst
Aletos Retail

Founded in 1932, the Finnish liquor store chain Alko remains one of the few state-owned alcohol retail monopolies in Europe. Operating under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Alko initially held exclusive rights to sell all alcoholic beverages with an alcohol by volume (ABV) above 5.5%.

The company’s original mission still shapes its operations today: reducing alcohol-related harm in society while offering a curated, high-quality product range.

Known as the “nation’s sommelier”, Alko runs more than 369 physical stores and over 110 order pick-up points across Finland. Its online shop features around 11,000 SKUs, while individual stores carry between 500 and 2,500 products depending on location. Staff are trained to provide personalised advice, and the stores aim to create an atmosphere closer to a boutique wine shop than a typical retail outlet.

In-store marketing is tightly regulated: no price promotions for alcohol above 22% ABV, no window displays, and no cross-selling are allowed. Age control is strictly enforced, and stores are closed on Sundays. By law, the minimum age for purchasing beverages over 22% ABV is 20 years; for drinks below that threshold, the limit is 18.

Alko continues to position itself as a responsible steward of the alcohol category, offering a service rather than pushing for higher consumption.

But the landscape is changing. As of June 2024, Finnish supermarkets are allowed to sell fermented beverages up to 8% ABV, up from the previous 5.5% threshold. The previous reform in 2018 had already raised the limit from 4.7% to 5.5%.

Although the 2024 law affected only an estimated 4% of Alko’s product range, the impact was noticeable. Alko’s per-litre sales fell by 8% in June 2024 alone, with cumulative volume down 5.5% in the first half of the year. As a company representative told Just Drinks, the number of customer-accessible sales points increased twelve-fold, and sales hours expanded by 20%, fundamentally shifting the market dynamics.

This puts Alko’s long-term role to the test. Can a state-run alcohol retailer stay relevant in a liberalising market? For now, it continues to stand out as a rare case in modern retail: a business designed not for growth, but for restraint.

The Alko store at Jumbo shopping center features a clean, premium entrance with no promotional clutter – true to its non-commercial retail mandate. A novelty in retailing: signage informs customers that “shelves are restocked around 11 a.m.”

Alko stores use clear overhead signage in both Finnish and Swedish, the two official languages of Finland, to help customers navigate categories such as spirits, beer, and mixed drinks. The calm, spacious layout avoids highlighting special sales and reinforces the chain’s focus on guidance over impulse sales.

Alko showcases limited-edition wines under the “Erikoiserä” (Special Edition) label. Warm lighting and multilingual chalkboard messages elevate this space beyond standard retail shelving.

A seasonal display of rosé sparkling wines is presented with chalkboard-style signage in both Finnish and Swedish, highlighting spring favourites. The boutique-style setup avoids pricing hooks and instead uses visual storytelling to guide discovery.

An endcap sign invites customers to explore global wine regions, reinforcing Alko’s role as an educator rather than a promoter. The bilingual message uses playful, non-commercial language: “When you thirst for knowledge about wine regions, travel to: alko.fi/viinialueet.”, leading to Alko’s online webpage.

Alko’s product information tags are a masterclass in transparency, offering multilingual tasting notes, food pairing icons, and digital QR access. The use of custom wooden holders reinforces the retailer’s upmarket positioning and its sustainability focus.

From a single vantage point, Alko’s signage system offers instant orientation. Bilingual ceiling and wall signs clearly mark departments, countries of origin, and packaging types—making the store exceptionally easy to navigate even for first-time visitors.

Instead of flashy promotional displays, Alko opts for a humble end cap with simple wooden framing and minimal signage. The store’s layout features clearly separated categories for mixed drinks, dessert wines, and spirits. The “Ready to Drink” segment is highlighted at the back, where colourful single-serve cans signal a growing category driven by convenience and portion control.

Bag-in-box wines are given dedicated space and prominent bilingual signage at Alko, underlining their importance in Finnish wine consumption. Clear shelf labelling by country and flavour profile helps shoppers navigate the wide assortment with confidence. As an added benefit, this packaging format is also the most sustainable — producing significantly less CO₂ than traditional glass bottles.

A dedicated climate-awareness display compares the CO₂ impact of various alcohol packaging formats, from heavy glass bottles to bag-in-box wines. With the message “Packaging is not a matter of taste. It’s a climate matter,” Alko links assortment presentation with sustainability education.

The champagne section is visually elevated by an in-wall digital screen, used for food pairing suggestions and seasonal promotions. Despite the premium nature of the category, presentation remains clean and modest, reinforcing Alko’s no-nonsense, guidance-first approach to wine retail.

A dedicated chilled section offers sparkling wines and other beverages ready to serve, supporting convenience without relying on price promotions. Trilingual signage in Finnish, Swedish, and English ensures the service is intuitive and accessible for all customers, including international visitors.

Chalkboard-style “staff pick” signs add a personal touch to Alko’s wine assortment, connecting shoppers with curated recommendations. The name and price are handwritten in a friendly, informal tone, bridging expertise and approachability.

Alko showcases lightweight pouch wines in a well-structured display that combines international variety with sustainability. The compact packaging reduces CO₂ emissions even further than bag-in-box formats, offering a climate-smart choice without compromising on style or quality.

‘Symbols to help you’: A central info board explains Alko’s label symbols for taste profiles, pairing suggestions, and product features. In the rum and brandy section, educational signage replaces promotions, supporting Alko’s guidance-driven retail model.

A digital screen at the back wall promotes food and wine pairing rather than price-led sales. The recipe-led display for “Risotto Milanese and citrusy white wine” links to Alko’s website, reinforcing its guidance-first approach.

Alko’s non-alcoholic section covers beverages up to 0.5% ABV, clearly signposted in both Finnish and Swedish. Stylish fixtures and a full assortment signal that low- and no-alcohol choices are given equal shelf respect.