Sweden

The law prohibits tobacco advertising on domestic TV and radio. The Radio and Television Act refers to the Act on Tobacco and Similar Products as governing tobacco advertising on TV and radio.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to tobacco advertising on domestic TV and radio.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in “periodicals” or "publications", which includes domestic newspapers and magazines.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to tobacco advertising in domestic newspapers and magazines.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in publications, TV, radio, and other marketing. This catch-all provision, “other marketing”, is interpreted as prohibiting all domestic print media, including pamphlets, leaflets, flyers, posters and signs. Although the law states that it does not apply to printed material to which the Freedom of the Press Act applies, the Freedom of the Press Act specifically states that it does not apply to commercial advertising for tobacco products.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to tobacco advertising and promotion in domestic print media.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising on TV and radio programs and television broadcasts by satellite covered by the Radio and Television Act. The Radio and Television Act applies to all radio and television broadcasts in Sweden if the service provider is in Sweden, is in another EEA State and uses a satellite uplink in Sweden, uses satellite capacity belonging to Sweden, or is established in Sweden according to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This broad jurisdiction effectively covers all broadcasts into Sweden originating outside Sweden. Therefore, tobacco advertising and promotion on international TV and radio is prohibited.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to tobacco advertising and promotion on international TV and radio.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in newspapers and magazines. However, the law does not specifically address whether the ban includes international newspapers and magazines, therefore the regulatory status code “Uncertain” is given.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should make clear that tobacco advertising and promotion is prohibited in international newspapers and magazines.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in publications, TV, radio, and other marketing. This catch-all provision, "other marketing," is interpreted as prohibiting tobacco advertising and promotion by internet communications.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to tobacco advertising and promotion via internet communications.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in publications, TV, radio, and other marketing. This catch-all provision, “other marketing,” is interpreted as prohibiting tobacco advertising and promotion by outdoor advertising such as billboards and posters.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to outdoor tobacco advertising.

The law exempts from the advertising ban “commercial messages within points of sale that are not coercive, solicitous, or encourage the use of tobacco.” The Act specifies that point of sale advertising, to the greatest extent possible, must be positioned so that it is not visible from outside the point of sale. However, whether other advertising inside point of sale is “coercive” is up to the discretion of the enforcement official.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should prohibit all point-of-sale tobacco advertising and promotion.

The law does not explicitly address tobacco product display at point of sale. Therefore, product display is allowed and tobacco products may be directly accessible on store shelves to customers.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should prohibit all tobacco product display and visibility.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in publications, TV, radio, and other marketing. This catch-all provision, “other marketing,” is interpreted as prohibiting tobacco advertising by conventional mail.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to tobacco advertising by conventional mail.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in publications, TV, radio, and other marketing. This catch-all provision, “other marketing,” is interpreted as prohibiting tobacco advertising by telephone and mobile phone.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to tobacco advertising by telephone and mobile phone.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in publications, TV, radio, and other marketing. This catch-all provision, “other marketing,” is interpreted as prohibiting brand marking on retail outlets, vehicle, equipment, etc.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to brand marking.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in publications, TV, radio, and other marketing. This catch-all provision, “other marketing,” is interpreted as prohibiting the free distribution of tobacco products.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, and meets FCTC Art. 16, with respect to the free distribution of tobacco products.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in publications, TV, radio, and other marketing. This catch-all provision, “other marketing,” is interpreted as prohibiting promotional discounts, gifts, prizes, and rewards to consumers in conjunction with a tobacco product purchase.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to promotional discounts, gifts, prizes, and rewards.

The law prohibits sponsorship of an “event or activity accessible by the general public.” Competitions associated with a tobacco product are a form of sponsorship of an event or activity accessible by the general public. Therefore, the law is interpreted as prohibiting competitions associated with tobacco products. In addition, competitions associated with tobacco products may also be prohibited under the general ban on marketing to consumers.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to competitions associated with tobacco products.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in publications, TV, radio, and other marketing. This catch-all provision, “other marketing,” is interpreted as prohibiting direct person-to-person targeting of individuals.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to direct person-to-person targeting of individuals.

The law prohibits the use of a tobacco trademark or brand indicia on a non-tobacco good or service (brand stretching) only if the good or service is marketed in a publication, radio, TV, or other transmission. If a business uses a tobacco trademark in another manner, the “trader must observe the restraint required by the fact that the trademark can also be associated with the tobacco product.” It is unclear how “restraint” is enforced. Therefore, the regulatory status code “Some Restrictions” is assigned.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should prohibit all forms of brand stretching, regardless of how the non-tobacco product or service is marketed.

The law does not address reverse brand stretching. Therefore, the law is interpreted as allowing reverse brand stretching.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should make clear that reverse brand stretching is prohibited.

The law does not address toys and candy that that resemble tobacco products. Therefore, the law is interpreted as permitting the sale and manufacture of toys that resemble tobacco products.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should prohibit the sale and manufacture of toys that resemble tobacco products.

The law does not address toys and candy that that resemble tobacco products. Therefore, the law is interpreted as permitting the sale and manufacture of candy that resemble tobacco products.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should prohibit the sale and manufacture of candy that resemble tobacco products.

The law does not address retailer incentive programs. Therefore, the law is interpreted as allowing retailer incentive programs.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should prohibit retailer incentive programs.

The law prohibits tobacco advertising in publications, TV, radio, transmissions, and other marketing. This catch-all provision concerning “other marketing” is interpreted as prohibiting paid placement of tobacco products in TV, film, or other media. In addition, the Radio and Television Act also prohibits paid placement of tobacco products on TV.

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines with respect to paid placement of tobacco products in TV, film and other media.

The law does not address unpaid depiction of tobacco use or tobacco products in TV, film, or other entertainment media that is not legitimate journalistic, artistic, or academic expression or legitimate social or political commentary. Therefore, the law is interpreted as allowing unpaid depiction of tobacco products in TV, film, or other entertainment media.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should address unpaid depiction of tobacco products in TV, film and other media in accordance with FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, paras. 29-32.

The law prohibits sponsorship promoting tobacco products if there are cross-border effects. Further, manufacturers, wholesalers, and importers of tobacco products may not sponsor national events or activities accessible by the public if the sponsorship promotes the sale of tobacco products. In addition, the law prohibits tobacco sponsorship of programs on radio broadcast, television broadcast, searchable teletext, or in video-on-demand. The law does not expressly prohibit publicity of sponsorship, although general advertising provisions may restrict such publicity.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should prohibit all contributions to any activities, individuals, organizations, or governments that have the aim, effect, or likely effect of promoting a tobacco product or tobacco use directly or indirectly.

The law prohibits manufacturers, wholesalers, and importers of tobacco products from sponsoring any event or activity accessible by the public or which may be considered to have a boundary-crossing effect only if the sponsorship can be considered to promote the sale of tobacco products. Publicity of such events is thus prohibited. The law does not expressly prohibit publicity of other tobacco sponsorship, although general advertising provisions may restrict such publicity.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should prohibit all tobacco sponsorship and publicity thereof.

The law prohibits tobacco product packaging and labeling that suggests that a given tobacco product is less harmful than another tobacco products. Although the law prohibits many forms of tobacco advertising and promotion, there are several means that are restricted (e.g., point-of-sale advertising, brand stretching). Among these forms, the law does not appear to prohibit promotion by means that are false, misleading, deceptive, or likely to create an erroneous impression. Therefore, the regulatory status code “Some Restrictions” is given.

To align with FCTC Art. 13 and the FCTC Art. 13 Guidelines, the law should prohibit all promotion by any means that are false, misleading, deceptive, or likely to create an erroneous impression.