Alcohol is relatively expensive here in Stockholm and unlike most countries where you could get some form of alcohol from the supermarket down the street, you have to get your alcohol from the state operated monopoly chain, Systembolaget. The opening hours are 10am - 6pm weekdays and on Saturday, they are open from 10am - 3pm! You'll also need to be at least 20 years of age to purchase alcohol. Their website stated that it existed to minimize alcohol-related problems by selling alcohol in a responsible way, without profit motive.
hmmph.. Not only is alcohol monopolized here, but it's extremely expensive and the funny thing is, I have seen drunkard people on the street side before 10am on a weekday. (Systembolaget is not open until 10am)
To top it off, they are not allowed to sell alcohol chilled. Imagine on a hot summer day, (where in Australia we could just get cold chilled beers from drive thrus) you, running off to the shops to get some alcohol just 10 minutes before your party, and you have to wait for a few hours before your alcohol are chilled.
What really annoys me is you can't even get a bottle of Chinese rice wine from the asian grocery store. I tried the other day as I was running up and down the aisles looking for Shaoxing, but was told they were not licensed to carry any alcohol. God forbid! *sobs*
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