State Alcohol and Tobacco Company of Iceland

The State Alcohol and Tobacco Company of Iceland (ÁTVR) is a state owned company that is the sole legal retail vendor of alcohol in Iceland.^[1] It runs a chain of 51 retail stores named Vínbúðin (the wine shop), known colloquially as Ríkið (The State).^[1] In addition it distributes tobacco to other retailers and assesses and collects tobacco tax.^[1]

State Alcohol and Tobacco Company of Iceland
Áfengis- og tóbaksverslun ríksins (ÁTVR)

Company type	Government enterprise
Industry	Sale of alcohol and tobacco
Founded	1961; 64 years ago (1961)
Headquarters	Reykjavík, Iceland
Key people	Ívar J. Arndal, president
Website	vinbud.is

Branch of Vínbúðin (ÁTVR) in Seyðisfjörður.

Iceland has very high taxes on alcohol to curtail consumption and as a government revenue source. Tax rates are proportionate to the alcohol content.

The state run company is under the Ministry of Finance.^[1]

See also

• Alcohol monopoly
• Prohibition in Iceland
• Beer in Iceland