The state alcohol monopoly Alko said on Wednesday that its sales have fallen to the level of 2019 before the pandemic. Last month, its sales fell by almost 14 percent compared to the previous year.
The retailer sold 7.3 million liters of beverages in July, while the corresponding figure in 2021 was 8.4 million.
Sales of brewing products, including beer and cider, fell the most, down more than 17 percent. Wine sales fell by 15.5 percent, while spirits sales fell more modestly, by eight percent.
Finnish consumers seem to have lost their taste for rosé wines, sales of which fell by 25 percent. Purchases of sparkling wines decreased by more than 21 percent and purchases of white wines by more than 15 percent. Red wine sales fell by only 9.5 percent.
Sales of non-alcoholic drinks, which have grown in popularity in recent years, also fell by more than 14 percent.
Alko’s sales reflect the waiving of the coronavirus restrictions made earlier this year.
There is no indication that overall alcohol consumption or sales have decreased, but consumers are drinking more alcohol in bars and restaurants and importing more from abroad, especially from countries with lower alcohol taxes.
The Finnish Taxpayers’ Association (TAF) calculated last year that alcohol taxes generated 1.5 billion euros in tax revenue for the state, which is one of the most important excise taxes. According to the NGO, the Nordic countries and Ireland have the highest alcohol taxes in the EU.
Source: The Nordic Page