Are you selling products on Facebook in Sweden? Be parapared for Prision Sentence
A woman in her 70s from Norrbotten has been sentenced to six weeks in prison after ignoring a local ban and continuing to sell homemade buns and bread on social media. She faced fines totaling SEK 130,000, which she couldn’t pay, resulting in the court converting the fines into a prison sentence.
The woman was banned by the local authorities from selling baked goods on platforms like Facebook because her business was unregistered. Despite being fined several times in 2020 and 2021, she continued to sell her pastries online. After repeatedly failing to pay the fines, the district court ruled that prison was the appropriate consequence.
Her lawyer believes that the punishment is too severe, given her client’s age and health. The lawyer explained that the woman’s financial difficulties prevented her from paying the fines, and that the prison sentence has had a very negative effect on her.
“My client is a retired woman who loves to bake. She has mostly baked for family and friends, sharing photos of her goods on Facebook,” the lawyer said. The woman acknowledged selling some baked goods, but said she only asked for enough to cover the cost of ingredients. She explained that baking is a hobby she enjoys, especially for her grandchildren, and she often stores leftover goods in the freezer.
Despite her explanation, the court determined that she continued selling online in violation of the ban. Her lawyer has announced plans to appeal the ruling, stating her client would prefer to settle the fines but is unable to do so due to her limited financial situation. The lawyer also expressed concern about how prison time would impact the elderly woman’s fragile health, saying, “She is deeply worried and anxious about how imprisonment will affect her well-being.”
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