Total alcohol consumption would not increase if grocery stores were allowed to sell wine, according to a study published by the Finnish Grocery Trade Association (PTY) on Tuesday.
According to a study by the Economic Survey, allowing “mild wines” in grocery stores would reduce total alcohol consumption by 0.6 percent. That equates to about 300,000 gallons of pure alcohol.
It defines “mild wines” with an alcoholic strength of less than 15%. Currently, grocery stores, kiosks and gas stations are allowed to sell beverages with an alcohol content of up to 5.5 percent. Prior to 2018, the maximum was 4.7 percent.
According to the PTY study, total alcohol consumption would decline slightly as consumption of other beverages, including alcoholic spirits, would decline, as would passenger imports and online purchases from abroad.
Ministry: Alcohol-related deaths would increase
However, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health expressed concern about a possible increase in alcohol-related deaths if wines become available at grocery stores.
The National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has also expressed doubts about whether it is worthwhile shifting consumption to more alcoholic beverages.
Ismo TuominenThe Ministry of Health’s alcohol policy councilor says international studies show that alcohol deaths would increase significantly if stronger drinks were available at grocery stores. He says that this was reflected in Finland after a comprehensive reform of the Alcohol Act, when alcohol mortality rose by hundreds of years.
Consumers want wine from grocery stores
Marke JääskeläinenTHL, a senior expert in alcohol statistics, said it was unlikely that wine would replace the consumption of beers and spirits. He also does not anticipate a decline in passenger imports or online purchases.
"A fairly large proportion of passenger imports are spirits," he points out.
However, according to the PTY survey, consumers seem to be profitable to sell wine in grocery stores.
Almost two-thirds of respondents were in favor of allowing food sales. Just over a fifth thought it was a bad idea, while others were unsure.
PTY predicts that wine prices in grocery stores would be about 10 percent cheaper than in state-owned Alko stores, which now have a monopoly on the retail of more than 5.5 percent of beverages.
Source: The Nordic Page