Foundation
The institution was founded in 1922 as a government-owned company as the result of trade negotiations with wine exporters, mainly France. The ban on alcohol was lifted, and sale was allowed through outlets run by Vinmonopolet.
Since 1939 the state, initially through the Norwegian Ministry of Finance and later the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, has been the sole owner, buying out the private shareholders while remaining a stock company.
The company's import and production activities ceased in 1996 when the EFTA ruled that the monopoly was in violation of the EEA agreement, the company divided into the created company entity Arcus which continued all production, import and distribution activity of spirits, leaving Vinmonopolet as a sole retail monopoly.
In 1999 the format of the outlets was restructured, making nearly all stores self service from the previous format of sales over the counter, and internet sales began in 2002.
Read more about this topic: Vinmonopolet
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