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Tighter control of Finnish customs reduced alcohol sales in Estonia in 2014

BC, Tallinn, 13.05.2015.Print version
The biggest cause of the 1.5% fall of legal alcohol sales in Estonia in 2014 was tighter control of the Finnish customs, it appears from a fresh survey by TNS Emor; alcohol purchases of tourists fell 2.1% last year compared to the previous year, LETA/Postimees Online reports.

"The reduction of purchases of alcohol by tourists can be explained with the work of the Finnish customs since in the middle of last year, the customs launched stricter control of the quantities purchased to take home, in order to influence the Finns to buy alcohol just for their own purposes," said TNS Emor survey expert Aivar Voog.

 

"Finns still buy a considerable amount or 34% of the alcohol sold in Estonia. In 2013, the figure was slightly higher – 36%," added Voog.

 

Last year Finns bought more beer and wine and less strong alcoholic beverages and other weaker drinks.

 

"Finnish tourists mainly shop on board ships and in port shops. TNS Emor's poll, carried out last year in Finland, showed that among all Finnish tourists visiting Estonia, 82% purchased alcohol to go, and they spent an average of EUR 129 per buyer to buy alcohol to take along with them," said Voog.

 

According to the TNS Emor survey, overall alcohol consumption of the Estonian population has been in decline over the last three years. Last year, alcohol consumption decreased by 0.9%. While in 2014, according to the survey every inhabitant consumed a total of 10.17 litres of pure alcohol, in 2013 the figure was 10.26 litres and in 2011, it was 10.6 litres.

 

About 60% of Estonian adult population consumes alcohol regularly, at least once a month. Over two-thirds of the consumed alcohol is consumed by a quarter of the population, who drink it at least once a week.






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