Lidl Finland has joined forces with state-owned alcohol retailer Alko to set up shop-in-shop alcohol outlets. Helsinki’s Pakila neighbourhood has reportedly seen the opening of the first store, with "dozens" more set to open across the country.
“After several years of wrangling, we finally have got an Alko shop,” Lidl Finland MD Lauri Sipponen said.
While Finnish grocery retailers are permitted to sell low-alcohol beer and cider, wine, spirits and beer with alcohol content over 4.7 per cent are restricted to Alko stores. However, the nation's legisaltion allows for shop-in-shop alcochol retailing, unlike its neighbour Sweden, where state-controlled alcohol monopolist Systembolaget has kept its outlets separate from grocery retailers.
Lidl and Alko have also worked on security and recycling issues according to Juhani Jokinen, head of Finland's Competition Authority.
“We see it as a benefit that the grocery stores and the Alko outlets, for example, have shared bottle recycling points.The partners also take care of security issues jointly and hire the security services together,” Jokinen said. (16 Nov)
© 2012 - ESM: European Supermarket Magazine
