Finland's state alcohol monopoly Alko sold fewer alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages last year, with sales figures reflecting a 3.4 million litres decrease compared to 2022.
Alko sold a total of 76.9 million litres of beverages in 2023, or 4.1 percent less than the 80.3 million litres sold in 2022. Sales also decreased in 2022, year-on-year.
Sales of wines decreased by 3.7 percent, sales of spirits were down by 4.4 percent, beer sales were down by 6.2 percent and sales of non-alcoholic beverages decreased by 7.7 percent compared to 2022.
Taxing prices
Prices did not rise much last year, according to Anu Koskinen, Alko's assortment and purchasing director at Alko.
"Alko's price increases have been moderate. Prices were raised by an average of two percent last year," Koskinen explained in a press release issued on Wednesday.
The impact that alcohol taxes have is greater than many people think, she added.
The price of a bottle of wine that costs 10 euros in the shop includes around five euros in taxes, with about 1.70 euros of that total going to Alko.
White wine more popular
For more than two decades, Finns have preferred red wine over white. However, in 2022, that trend reversed.
Alko sold 20.3 million litres of white wine and 19.4 million litres of red wine in 2023.
Sales of red wine decreased by five percent, while sales of white wine were down by two percent in 2023.
Sparkling wine sales volumes decreased by 5.6 percent, while sales of rosé wine remained at roughly the same level as the previous year.
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