The Swedish state monopoly on running pharmacies was abolished the 1 July, as well as the monopoly on the railway traffic.

A number of new laws came into effect on the first of July. The most controversial of them all is the abolishing of the state pharmacy monopoly, Apoteket.

The shift will for the first time make it possible to buy painkillers in the Swedish local supermarkets.

Apoteket is a state-owned limited liability company, which has had the exclusive right to sell pharmaceuticals in the Swedish market since 1970. However, a reregulation of the Swedish pharmacy system was initiated in 2008 and from Wednesday the consumer market is opened up to other operators.

It will take a while before the modification will be seen, as the first private pharmacy won't open its door to the public until the late autumn.

Two thirds of Apoteket’s 946 pharmacies will become private. Some 150 of them will be run as small businesses while large corporations and grocery chains will run the rest. For example, Swedish food giant KF and Finnish pharmaceutical and healthcare company Oriola-KD have agreed to join forces on the Swedish pharmacy market.

Also German pharmaceutical group Celesio AG plans to open more than 100 pharmacies in Sweden, the company said Wednesday.

"Our goal is to grow by offering customers a new alternative, better service, longer opening hours and more advice for the better use of medication," said Mads Paulsen, marketing manager of Celesio-owned Norsk Medisinaldepot, according to the TT news wire.

In 2008, Apoteket’s sales amounted to 41,710 million kronor (€3,791 million) and operating earnings amounted to 950 million kronor. The average number of employees was 10,666.

On Wednesday the Swedish monopoly on the remaining railway lines will also be abolished. State-owned SJ is still the sole operator on a large number of lines that from Wednesday will be exposed to competition.

Other laws that were introduced on Wednesday are that the longest fixed prison terms for murder and other serious crimes is increased, child grooming on the internet becomes illegal and Swedes who apply for a new passport from today have to give their finger prints, Swedish Radio reports.