Finland allows home delivery of alcohol under new law

Finland’s parliament approved an overhaul of the country’s alcohol laws in late June, with changes including the legalisation of home delivery of alcoholic beverages taking effect at the start of July.

In Tampere, residents questioned by public broadcaster Yle largely dismissed the idea of ordering alcohol to their doorstep, calling it unnecessary or even cumbersome.

“I understand the reform aims to remove barriers for businesses and bring positive economic changes, but it’s still a bit puzzling if someone can’t be bothered to go to the shop and needs it delivered to their door,” said Antti Suonio.

“It might be a bit unnecessary. For someone with alcohol problems, it could make it easier to get alcohol, and the distress may increase,” Jenny Blomqvist added.

Heikki Luoto, development director at the Ehyt association for substance abuse prevention, said the reform primarily affects problem users and their families. He pointed to evidence from countries where home delivery is already permitted, showing that high-risk consumers are the most frequent users of such services.

Concerns also centre on the impact on children in families with substance abuse issues. According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), around 89,000 children in Finland in 2022 had at least one parent with a severe substance abuse problem.

“When alcohol consumption is increasingly shifted into the home environment, the situation can be dire. For example, we know that domestic violence is often linked to alcohol or other substance use,” Luoto said.

Both Tampere residents and Luoto expressed doubts about age verification for young buyers in home delivery situations. A recent THL study found that 78% of Finns do not trust that the age or intoxication level of an alcohol buyer can be reliably verified during delivery.

Luoto noted that the full consequences of the legal change remain unclear, as resources for assessing and documenting its effects have been cut in recent years. He stressed that public safety is the primary concern in the practical application of the new alcohol law.

“Alcohol use also manifests as insecurity in the urban landscape. Ultimately, it’s the taxpayers who foot the bill for these harms,” he said.