The Gothenburg-based brewery Poppels promoted its beer alongside various food dishes on social media in 2022. The Consumer Ombudsman (KO) claimed that the posts violated the image rule in the Alcohol Act and banned the brewery from using them.
Poppels appealed the case to the Patent and Market Court, which in 2024 found KO right on seven of eight points, after which both parties appealed.
The Patent and Market Court of Appeal has followed the Patent and Market Court's line.
The image rule means that images promoting alcoholic beverages may only contain the product and the raw materials included in it. However, the Supreme Court has allowed a less strict interpretation in a ruling.
Sweden's breweries said in a brief comment to TT that they were disappointed with the verdict.
This is what the Alcohol Act says:
When marketing alcoholic beverages or alcoholic beverage-like preparations to consumers through commercial advertisements, the representation in pictures may only include a representation of
1. the goods or raw materials included in the goods,
2. single packages, or
3. trademark or comparable sign.
Source: Swedish Constitution
