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Strong pressure despite: Beer sales at the gas station were rejected. KrF claps, while Frp and Virke rage.
Since 2013, the alcohol policy in Norway has been practically fixed. But last year, Virke Servicehandel, who represents kiosks and gas stations, tried to engage politicians in a new opening: the sale of beer at gas stations.
As previously mentioned by Nettavisen Økonomi, Frp has risen to the occasion and has come up with proposals to allow the sale of beer at kiosks and service stations.
When the Storting’s trade committee recently considered the grocery report, the FRP again seized the opportunity to present a proposal to open beer sales at gas stations.
The proposal did not receive the support of the other parties. Steinar Reiten (KrF) is happy about that.
– Alcohol does not belong to traffic. Introducing the sale of beer at a gas station will be a damaging policy, says Reiten.
– Rema and Kiwi can sell gasoline, diesel, washing fluid and motor oil, and at the same time sell alcohol. However, if it is defined as a gas station, it is not allowed to sell beer. I have to admit that we have such idiotic legislation in Norway, Morten Ørsal Johansen tells Nettavisen Økonomi.
Read more: Now there’s an all-out price war on snus on supermarket shelves
Frp only on free flow policy: – Cheers Norway
On Thursday, the Storting’s business committee considered the grocery report, which will set the course for the grocery trade in Norway. It was in this treatment that both KrF and the other parties rejected the trade of beer at kiosks and gas stations.
– FRP will stay alone at the Storting with its free flow policy when it comes to access to alcohol. Alcohol does not belong in traffic, neither along the highway nor in the sea where people fill up on gasoline, Reiten says, continuing:
– We know that greater access to alcohol leads to greater consumption and therefore abuse. Alcohol abuse is already a serious and costly social problem, and the introduction of more alcohol on Norwegian roads will be a major setback for both traffic safety and public health, Reiten says.
Ørsal Johansen believes that KrF is completely wrong. He stresses that FRP will continue to push the proposal until alcohol can be bought at the gas station.
– There is probably no one who seriously believes that people drink more because they sell alcohol at the gas station. If you live out of town and are going to buy beer, you have to get in the car to buy beer from a store and then drive home again to drink it. If you buy the same beer at a gas station, it is not automatically the case that you start drinking in the car at home, says Ørsal Johansen, adding:
– This is Heia Norge’s worst policy.
Also read: One year since the departure of Frp – you get figures of impact on the measurement: – New lower list
Work: – Only the grocery industry rejoices about this.
Virke Servicehandels Iman Winkelman tells Nettavisen Økonomi that KrF is well aware that more and more grocery stores are installing pumps at the same time that they are allowed to sell alcohol, and believes that it is highly unfair that service stations do not have the opportunity to sell both fuel and alcohol.
– The main point of the grocery report was more and better competition. Now KrF has its friends in government on this, and it leads to nothing but consumers having a worse option. This is in direct conflict with the entire report to the Storting, says Winkelman and continues:
– KrF is more concerned with the narrow interests of alcohol policy than with the freedom of choice of consumers.
It does not hide the fact that Virke and its associated companies had clear expectations that gas stations would receive an alcohol sales permit.
– Only the grocery industry rejoices at this, says Winkelman.
Read more: No to public health fanaticism, yes to freedom and responsibility
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