Vinmonopolet - Consumer Relations

Consumer Relations

In a 2008 survey by Norsk Kundebarometer, customers of the monopoly were 81.5% satisfied with the company, ranking it 4th in Norway, a figure that rose to 88% in 2009. There are critical voices, however, that have questioned the institution's selection process of allowing a small self-recruited group, termed "the taste bureaucracy", make the wine buying decisions on behalf of the entire Norwegian people.

The institution has not stayed clear of problems. In one instance in 2001, the published price list offered Château Latour at the incredibly priced NOK 555, where an estimate would normally be approximately NOK 2,600, causing the quickest three customers to order to buy up the entire inventory, with the intent to make a fast and considerable profit. The explanation was that the more modestly priced Château Latour à Pomerol had its name listing edited down for brevity.

Surveys from the mid 90s, indicated a majority of the Norwegian population were in support of dissolving the monopoly arrangement, and allowing for the sale of wine by the private sector. Since the restructuring of 1996, the consumer satisfaction steadily increased, the events described by current CEO Kai G. Henriksen as "the lifting of the import ban was a stroke of fortune. Today we have 210 importers competing to find the most reasonably priced, the best and most glorious wines of the world."

Robert Lie, then sommelier of Bagatelle, has stated, "I am among the supporters. In recent years Vinmonopolet has had great impact on the wine interest of the average Norwegian. To my knowledge there are no wine stores in the world with an equal selection. There are also fairly good prices for more expensive wines. For highly coveted wines one must pay much more in London." Torkjell Berulfsen, presenter of considerable TV programming with focus on alcoholic goods, has stated, "These days I praise Vimonopolet into the clouds. I bless it! I don't dare imagine some zitty, unmotivated 25-year old 'red wine supervisor' at Rimi!"

Arne Ronold MW has pointed to the formats of UK and Denmark as successful alternatives that offer good selections in supermarkets and specialty stores, while stating that the present situation offers a wide selection for consumers in certain areas but with considerably more limited options for some other areas, and while more costly wines may be less expensive in the Vinmonopolet format, this is a "positive side-effect of a market that doesn't work, being of little benefit to the average consumer". He acknowledges "a near-revolution in that at present there are more than 10,000 products available, which is wonderful", adding, "I have been among the most ardent critics but have mildened somewhat. I am adequately satisfied with Vinmonopolet as it is now. But they still have some way to go concerning aged wine and the second hand market. In this, access is poor." Ronold's publication Vinforum which 1986 founding was motivated by the perceived poor performance of Vinmonopolet, whose Italian wine selection then totalled 14 labels including reds, whites and sparkling. By 2010 the category had risen past 2,000 labels, leading co-founder Ola Dybvik to declare, "we are living in paradise", continuing in context that the Norwegian population is comparative to a New York suburb, "in terms of selection, the store has moved into the definitive world elite".

In a commentary by Tom Marthinsen, then a wine critic of Dagens Næringsliv, also acknowledged the progress from the conditions of the 1990s, but was critical to the direction of applying new techniques from chain stores which lead to standardization of the urban outlets, while contending that the rural stores have a "catastrophical selection", and these consumers from "the districts" would benefit from purchasing wine in their local food store. Marthinsen called upon the leadership to "set free the store buyers, reinstate the competitive element between the stores, in other words leave behind the chain store mentality and allow local creativity to flourish".

In December 2008, Vinmonopolet announced plans to implement a system of arranging auctions of second hand wine, similar to the model in use by Swedish Systembolaget. Under Norwegian law it was illegal to sell alcohol by auction, until a resoution by Stortinget changed this law in April 2011, effective from January 1, 2012. While Vinmonopolet is to draw no profit from these activities it is in the process of selecting a collaborating auction house, and no activity is anticipated until spring 2013.

It became the stated ambition of Vinmonopolet to be "the world's premier wine store", in 2010 presenting figures and goals for the future concerning diversity of available products and customer service quality philosophy. Vinmonopolet offered more than 12,000 products, next to 2009 figures from comparative retailers such as Systembolaget which offered ca. 9,000 products, Alko of Finland with ca. 3,000 products available, or British Waitrose with ca. 1,500 products available.