How to Label Influencer Ads in Sweden: Rules and Checklists (2026)
Short answer: In Sweden, a post an influencer makes in exchange for compensation must be labelled so that anyone can tell it is advertising at a glance. That includes compensation in the form of products. Write, for example, "Reklam från @brand" (Advertisement from @brand) at the very start of the caption, or use the platform's "Paid partnership with" label. Avoid "In collaboration with". The brand carries the main responsibility.
Why this matters to brands and creators
Hidden advertising is banned under the Swedish Marketing Practices Act (marknadsföringslagen). The Swedish Consumer Agency (Konsumentverket) is clear about who is responsible: the company that hires the influencer has the main responsibility, and the influencer can share it. That responsibility cannot be contracted away. If your agreement says the creator handles labelling, you as the brand are still liable when it goes wrong.
This is not theoretical. In 2025 Konsumentverket opened around 50 cases against influencers and advertisers, sent supervisory letters to around 40, and referred 8 cases to the Consumer Ombudsman (KO). In the agency's own words, many still advertise without labelling their posts clearly.
When does a post count as advertising?
According to the industry recommendation from Sveriges Kommunikationsbyråer, Sveriges Annonsörer and IAB Sverige (April 2025), a post is advertising when it is published for compensation on behalf of a company and has selling content linked to that company's products. That covers more than many people think:
Money. A paid post is the clearest case.
Products and services. Compensation does not have to be money. A PR package sent as part of an agreed collaboration counts.
Affiliate links and discount codes. If the creator earns from sales, it is advertising.
Own companies. When influencers post selling content about their own brand, it is usually advertising.
Employees. Posts employees make about their employer's products can also be advertising.
A grey area is unsolicited PR mailings, meaning products sent without any agreed collaboration. Konsumentverket says this has not been tried in court and that such posts may be covered depending on the circumstances. Our advice: if it becomes a selling post about the product, label it.
Which wording works?
The industry recommendation lists Swedish phrases that typically make it clear that a post is advertising, and one it advises against:
"Reklam från X" (Advertisement from X): recommended.
"Marknadsföring från X" (Marketing from X): recommended.
"Betalt samarbete med X" (Paid partnership with X): recommended.
"I samarbete med X" (In collaboration with X): advised against. The Swedish Patent and Market Court of Appeal found it does not make clear that the collaboration was paid (PMT 2054-18).
"AD" on its own: risky. It is short and easy to miss, so it needs extra prominent placement and design.
The word "paid" is not required. What matters is that followers understand it is marketing. The label may also be in English, for example "Advertisement by X", as long as the audience understands it.
Where and how the label must appear
The right words are not enough. The label also has to be visible immediately, in a feed where people scroll fast. This follows from the industry recommendation and Konsumentverket's guidance:
First in the caption. If the label is in the caption, it should open the text, not sit at the end among the hashtags.
Not behind "more". Instagram only shows the start of a caption. The label must not be hidden behind buttons or other parts of the interface.
Stands out. CAPITALS and a separator, such as "ADVERTISEMENT FROM @BRAND |", make it easier to spot.
Clear contrast and size. Text on an image or video must be readable against the background. A moving background needs extra clarity.
The whole video. If the entire clip is advertising, the label can stay on screen throughout. If only part is, make it clear when that part starts.
Every post. If the collaboration covers several posts and stories, label each one.
Is the platform's own label enough?
Often, but not always. Instagram's "Paid partnership with X" label on standard posts has been reviewed by the Swedish advertising self-regulation board (RON), which found it sufficient (RON 2102-33). The industry encourages using platform labels.
But the marketer is responsible for the label actually being visible. If the feature fails, or the label risks being unclear in a given format, an additional label of your own is recommended. The safest approach is both: the platform label plus "Reklam från @brand" at the start of the caption.
What happens if it goes wrong?
The Consumer Ombudsman can ban continued marketing and attach a conditional fine. For serious breaches, a court can impose a market disruption fee of up to four percent of the company's annual turnover. Two examples:
Kenza Zouiten AB (2021). The Patent and Market Court of Appeal reviewed 31 posts about an eyewear brand and found that 19 of them were marketing that was not clearly labelled.
Beauty Icons AB and Bianca Ingrosso AB (2025). KO banned both companies from continuing unlabelled ads for the makeup brand Caia, each under a conditional fine of SEK 1.5 million. The brand was found to have the main responsibility and the influencer's company contributory liability.
A breach cannot be fixed afterwards either. Konsumentverket points out that editing a post later does not undo the breach.
Checklist for brands
Put the labelling requirement in the brief or campaign description, with the exact wording, for example "Reklam från @yourbrand".
Ask the creator to use both the platform label and their own label at the start of the caption.
Check the post once it is live. If the label is missing, ask for a correction right away.
Save screenshots of the posts and of what you agreed.
If the collaboration uses discount codes or affiliate links, make sure those posts are labelled too.
Don't forget tax. Products you send can trigger employer contributions, see our tax guide for brands.
Checklist for creators
Label every post and every story in the collaboration, even when you "only" got the product.
Start the caption with the label. Never put it last or among the hashtags.
Use "Reklam från", "Marknadsföring från" or "Betalt samarbete med", not "I samarbete med".
Turn on the platform's own label when there is one.
In video, add a readable label on screen, ideally for the whole clip.
When in doubt, label. Being clear has never been against the law.
How to do it when you collaborate through Unwrappa
On Unwrappa, brands publish campaigns and creators apply. When a brand approves an application and ships the product, or pays for a post, it is a collaboration for compensation. The posts must be labelled.
The simplest approach is to write the label into the campaign description from the start, so every creator sees the requirement before applying. If you have chat, confirm the wording there before the post goes live. Unwrappa does not review published posts and is not a party to the collaboration, so responsibility lies with the brand and creator working together.
New to collaborations as a creator? Read how to get PR packages and how to write a pitch.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to label a post if I only got the product for free?
Yes, if the product was sent as part of a collaboration. Compensation can be products, not just money. If the product arrived completely unsolicited, the law has not been tested, but if you make a selling post about it, labelling is the safe choice.
Is #ad or #reklam among the hashtags enough?
Usually not. The label has to be visible immediately, and hashtags at the end of a caption often end up behind "more". Put the label at the start. "AD" is also short and easy to miss.
Can I write "in collaboration with"?
The industry advises against it. The Swedish Patent and Market Court of Appeal found that "i samarbete med" does not clearly show that it is paid advertising.
Who pays if the label is missing?
The brand has the main responsibility and cannot contract it away. The influencer can share responsibility. Consequences can include a ban with a conditional fine and, in serious cases, a market disruption fee of up to four percent of annual turnover.
Does the label have to be in Swedish?
No. It can be in another language, for example "Advertisement by X", as long as the audience understands it is advertising.
Is Instagram's "Paid partnership with" label enough?
For standard posts, the Swedish advertising self-regulation board has found it sufficient. It is still a good idea to add your own label at the start of the caption, in case the platform label fails to show or work.
This guide summarises Konsumentverket's guidance and the April 2025 industry recommendation, as read in October 2026. It is not legal advice. Contact Konsumentverket or a lawyer if you are unsure about a specific case.
Sources (in Swedish)