Recently, online stores have opened in Iceland that sell alcohol in retail directly to consumers. These activities are directed against the exclusive right of ÁTVR (The State Alcohol and Tobacco Company of Iceland)  to the retail sale of alcohol, which has been one of the cornerstones of Icelandic alcohol policy.

Despite the unequivocal provisions of the Alcohol Act and the Act on Trade in Alcohol and Tobacco on ÁTVR's exclusive right for the sale and delivery of alcohol at retail, the operators of the online stores claim that their activities are legal. This is a legal matter and must be dealt with as such. ÁTVR has therefore begun preparations for a request for an injunction against the online stores and the subsequent initiation of legal proceedings. At the same time, preparations for a police complaint regarding the operation have begun.

The state's monopoly on the retail sale of alcohol is based on public health considerations and the legislator's assessment that the goals for the nation's health will not be achieved by other, less strict, measures. If the operations of online stores in direct competition with ÁTVR's retail are left unchallenged, it will entail a fundamental change in the alcohol policy and the preconditions for the company's operations.