Alko sales this year decline from 2007

January-November sales 3 per cent below last year’s figures

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Outlets of the alcohol monopoly Alko sold about three per cent less alcoholic beverages from January to November this year than they did in the same period in 2007.
      December is usually the busiest month at Alko shops, but it is not likely that Christmas sales would push total sales this year above those in 2007.
      The decline has been greatest in sales of strong spirits. On the other hand, sales of sparkling wine grew by November by 7.5 per cent.
      Last year Alko sales grew by 1.8 per cent, and in 2006 growth was 3.2 per cent.
     
Also pointing to a decline in alcohol consumption were figures put out by the National Product Control Agency, which reports that alcohol sales through September this year had declined by 1.8 per cent.
      However, consumption that does not figure in the statistics, such as imports from travel to Estonia and other countries with cheaper prices, has grown.
      Alcohol taxation increased from the beginning of the year. The tax on mild beverages grew by 10 per cent, and that of strong spirits increased by 15 per cent.
      Next year there is to be another ten per cent tax hike in all types of alcoholic beverages.
     
After the big tax cut in 2004, per capita consumption of alcohol in Finland has varied between 10.2 and 10.5 litres a year, measured in terms of pure alcohol.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Statistics Finland: Alcohol kills increasing numbers of working-age Finns (5.12.2008)
  Professor: Alcohol consumption could start to decline (25.11.2008)
  Rise in alcohol tax leads to surge in personal imports from Estonia (22.8.2008)
  New Year brings an end to bulk beer discounts; alcohol taxes raised across the board (2.1.2008)
  Parliament debates restrictions on alcohol advertising (9.12.2008)
  Twenty per cent of young men are problem drinkers (8.12.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat