Vínbúð

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Áfengis- og tóbaksverslun ríksins

Type	Government enterprise
Founded	1961
Headquarters	Reykjavík, Iceland
Key people	Ívar J. Arndal, president
Industry	Alchohol marketing
Website	[1]

Vínbúð, "Wine shop", is a chain of 46 stores run by the Icelandic alcohol & tobacco monopoly - ÁTVR, locally called “ríkið” which literally means "The State". It is the only place on Iceland where it is possible to legally buy alcohol for off-premises consumption, though in practice most bars and restaurants will not prevent you from leaving with your purchased drinks. High licensing fees make this an expensive option, however, and alcohol is always at least twice as expensive outside the Vinbud.

Iceland has extremely high taxes on its alcohol. Historically, this was to keep down rates of consumption. Tax rates in the stores are not a percentage of price (such as a sales tax or income tax) but according to the alcohol content.

A one liter bottle of smirnoff vodka in a Vinbud will cost around 4400 ISK (or USD $67). A shotglass of the same (or half a liter of beer) in a restaurant or bar will generally cost between 500 and 900 ISK.