University of Iceland ends alcohol purchases from Santé

The University of Iceland will not make further purchases from online alcohol retailers whose legal status is uncertain, mbl.is reported. The university bought alcohol worth 925,300 Icelandic krónur from Santé between 2021 and 2025.

Rector Silja Bára Ómarsdóttir said the university’s position was not to do business with parties whose operations may not be lawful, and that this position would be reiterated within the institution.

According to the rector, all of the purchases were made by university units or for service projects. They were financed through the university’s own revenue or grants, rather than direct allocations from the state treasury.

Largest state buyer

The University of Iceland was the state institution that spent the most with Santé, according to the rector. mbl.is reported that Icelandic state institutions had bought supplies worth a total of 1.1 million krónur from the company between 2025 and 2026.

The Icelandic Public Works Agency also bought alcohol from Santé, but for a considerably smaller amount. The purchases were recorded in public accounts as employee expenses of 86,760 krónur, along with 76,998 krónur in late-payment interest. The invoice fell into arrears.

The National Gallery of Iceland bought goods worth 8,400 krónur from Santé, but these were non-alcoholic drinks.

Owners charged over alcohol sales

Santé owners Arnar Sigurðsson and Elías Blöndal Guðjónsson were charged by the Reykjavik District Prosecutor on June 19. They are accused of selling one bottle of red wine and 12 cans of beer last year, allegedly in violation of the state’s exclusive right to retail alcohol.

The owners have denied wrongdoing and said they intend to defend themselves. The purchases by the university were made through Santewines, a French subsidiary of Santé.