Number of serving licences not impacted by Covid-19 pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has not been evident in the number of licences for serving alcohol. At the end of 2021, there were a total of 9,630 valid serving licences in Mainland Finland, which is 313 licences more than at the end of 2019, pre-pandemic. Licences for the takeaway selling of alcohol have also been applied for in greater numbers than before, whereas the number of restaurants with extended serving hours has declined. The number of retail sales licences in relation to grocery shops, on the other hand, has declined steadily.

The number of serving and retail licences has grown continuously

The steady increase in the number of serving licences has continued since the reform of the Alcohol Act in 2018. Prior to the reform, the number of licences for serving alcoholic beverages remained constant at approximately 8,300.  

“There was a significant upswing in the number of serving licences after the reform, and this increase slowed down only slightly in 2020. In 2021, the number of licences again grew significantly. No serving licences have been revoked due to a lack of financial capabilities during the pandemic,” says Kari Kunnas, Head of Unit at Valvira.

The growth in the number of retail licences is explained by the retail sales licences granted in connection with a serving licence and to craft brewers. The granting of these licences began after the legislative reform in 2018. Before the reform, the number of retail sales licences was in slow decline. Licences in grocery outlets like shops and kiosks has declined by a total of 600 licences since 2017.

At the end of last year, alcoholic beverages could be bought from a total of 6,441 sales premises in Mainland Finland. Of these licences, 1,465 were takeaway licences for serving premises and 83 retail sales licences for craft beer.

“Serving premises have applied for retail sales licences to support their takeaway sales during the pandemic. The interest in takeaway sales licences grew particularly during the restaurant lockdown in the spring of 2021,” adds Kunnas.

Extended hours applied to 1,618 serving premises at the end of 2021. The number of extended hours declined in 2020, whereas in the previous years following the reform of the Alcohol Act in 2018, it grew considerably.

“The downward trend in the number of extended hours restaurants is probably related to the pandemic. Given that restaurants couldn’t keep their doors open at night, some restaurants no longer saw the need for extended hours,” says Kunnas.

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Alcohol licensing resources focused on pandemic measures

The number of alcohol-related matters processed by Regional State Administrative Agencies declined during the first two years of the pandemic (2020–2021), given that most events of a temporary nature such as festivals were cancelled and did not require licensing. At an annual level, there were fewer than 8,000 matters to process, whereas the average corresponding figure during the years preceding the reform of the Alcohol Act was slightly less than 9,000 a year. The 2018 reform of the Alcohol Act increased the number of matters related to the serving and retail sales of alcoholic beverages by several thousand a year.

“The pandemic has been visible in the Regional State Administrative Agencies’ alcohol licensing as a slightly slower period, but the restrictions related to the Communicable Diseases Act and their enforcement and supervision have kept the alcohol licensing officials very busy,” says Riku-Matti Lehikoinen, Head of Alcohol Licensing at the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland.

Digitalisation is also making headway in alcohol licensing

The processes for alcohol licensing are becoming electronic as Valvira and the Regional State Administrative Agencies are currently renewing ALLU, the register of businesses with a serving or retail licence. In the future, those applying for a licence or reporting matters related to alcoholic beverages can conduct their affairs with the licensing authority electronically. The new register should be introduced during 2022.

Regional State Administrative Agencies supervise the retail sales and serving of alcoholic beverages in their respective regions. Valvira is responsible for national supervisory duties and for guiding the Regional State Administrative Agencies in the supervision of serving and retail licences. Valvira is also responsible for the supervision of alcoholic products, in addition to which it guides and supervises the primary and self-monitoring of the producers and importers of alcoholic beverages.

Alcohol matters on Valvira’s website (valvira.fi)

Alcohol matters on the websites of Regional State Administrative Agencies (avi.fi)

For further information at Valvira, please contact:

Kari Kunnas, Head of Unit
tel. +358 295 209 610
[email protected]

For further information at Regional State Administrative Agencies, please contact:

Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland
Riku-Matti Lehikoinen, Head of Alcohol Licensing
tel. +358 295 016 155

Regional State Administrative Agency for Eastern Finland
Jarmo Ruusu, Head of Trade Enforcement
tel. +358 295 016 938
 
Regional State Administrative Agency for Lapland
Tarja Strömdahl, Senior Inspector
tel. +358 295 017 369

Regional State Administrative Agency for Southwestern Finland
Pepe Uskelin, Head of Trade Enforcement, Legal Counsel
tel. +358 295 018 094

Regional State Administrative Agency for Western and Inland Finland
Kristian Dahl, Head of Trade Enforcement, Legal Counsel
tel. +358 295 018 528

Regional State Administrative Agency for Northern Finland
Ari Kilponen, Senior Inspector
tel. +358 295 017 571

Toni Latvamäki, Senior Inspector
tel. +358 295 017 569

Email addresses are in the format [email protected]