Alcoholic preparations

An alcoholic preparation is an alcoholic substance which is not an alcoholic beverage nor a spirit and which may be denatured. Alcoholic preparations may not be manufactured, imported or sold for consumption.

Slightly denatured alcoholic preparations

Slightly denatured alcoholic preparations may be sold to consumers only for washing, cleaning and other technical uses. They may not be manufactured, imported or sold for consumption. If there is a justified reason to believe that a slightly denatured alcoholic preparation is sold for intoxication purposes, Valvira may impose additional requirements regarding denaturing.

Alcoholic preparations used as food products or nutritional supplements

As a general rule, alcoholic preparations may not be manufactured, imported or sold for consumption. However, this rule does not apply to alcoholic preparations sold as a food or nutritional supplement. The importer, manufacturer or seller of such alcoholic preparation must not present or promote the use of the preparation for intoxication purposes.

Preparations containing alcohol, such as ice creams and chocolates

Solid alcoholic preparationts containing no more than 2.8 per cent of ethyl alcohol by weight—such as chocolates or ice cream—may be sold freely. The retail sales, serving and marketing of products stronger than this are subject to the alcoholic beverage provisions of the Alcohol Act, such as age limits.

The retail sales and serving of alcoholic beverages containing more than 2.8 per cent of alcohol by volume are subject to a licence, and the retail sale of alcoholic beverages containing more than 5.5 per cent of alcohol by volume is subject to the exclusive right of the alcohol company. In the application of the Alcohol Act, a preparation’s alcoholic strength as alcohol by volume is its alcoholic strength by weight.