La liberalización controlada del mercado del vino en Noruega (1996-2002): nuevas oportunidades para la industria vinícola española

This article analyses recent trends in the Norwegian wine market after 1994, when the European Economic Space was settled, and assesses the role of Spanish wines in this country. Information and data gathered in Norway, both through interviews with local agents and through official statistics, are used for this purpose. During last years, wine consumption has raised in Norway while spirits fall despite their traditional position in local food patterns. This process has gone faster since 1996, once wine imports were liberalized and strong concurrence to supply Vinmonopolet has appeared. Vinmonopolet is the public corporation that holds the monopoly on retail wine shops, which are not beverage-purchasing facilities only, but also learning places for consumers. In this context of institutional change, Spanish wine is increasing its market share in Norway, both in quality-wine and bulk-wine markets.