Record liquor sales in Tallinn stores over weekend as Finns hoard cheap alcohol

Customs: No signs of commercial importing

print this

Liquor stores in the Estonian capital Tallinn broke sales records over the weekend after the country's EU membership ended alcohol import quotas between Estonia and Finland. Finns immediately took advantage of the opportunity to hoard cheap alcohol and brought back larger quantities than usual.
      Tallinn store owners reported that the number of customers was more or less average, but each customer bought much more than before.
      "The best sales figures ever", commented Anders Veeber from a Liviko outlet.
      Vesa Laukkanen, the head of new alcohol wholesaler Alkomeeter, estimates that the true surge will not be seen until around one week from now. At that time, Finns will begin to stock up for graduation parties, and even for Midsummer.
     
As Tallinn stores opened for business at eight on Sunday morning, there was already a queue of Finns waiting to compare prices.
      The most popular item was a box containing ten half-litre bottles of vodka, which has earned the nickname dachshund. Many passengers arrived back at the port carrying a box of vodka in one hand and a 24-pack of beer in the other.
      Matti and Raili Niemensivu packed 20 litres of vodka into their suitcases, explaining that their son is getting married over the summer. In fact, the couple planned to make a second booze-buying trip before the wedding.
      Eager alcohol tourists need to take into account the new weight limits introduced by the passenger ferries. The limit of 20 kilograms per passenger was enforced the most carefully at the Linda Line terminal in Tallinn.
     
According to customs, passenger numbers were at the normal Vappu holiday level over the weekend. By Sunday evening, customs officials had had no reason to suspect anyone was bringing alcohol across the Gulf of Finland with intention to sell.
      As long as all alcohol imports are for private consumption only, there are no limits to the amounts that can be imported from other EU member states. Customs inspector Pertti Mäkelä commented that around one in ten passengers seemed to have loads that were larger than the old quotas.
      What was positive for passengers was that passport control on the Estonian end went much more smoothly for EU citizens than before Estonia's EU membership.
     


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Passenger ships from Estonia to stop selling alcohol and tobacco in Finnish waters (29.4.2004)
  Programme aimed at reducing harm of increased alcohol consumption (28.4.2004)
  Finnish retailers fear competition from EU-Estonia (12.1.2004)

Helsingin Sanomat