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International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Friday, 29.03.2024, 07:22

Alcohol consumption grows 0.7% in Estonia in 2017

BC, Tallinn, 08.06.2018.Print version
According to the results of a study of the Estonian alcohol market and consumption, commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and carried out by the Institute of Economic Research (EKI), Estonian residents' alcohol consumption increased 0.7% last year to 10.3 liters of absolute alcohol per an adult, reports LETA/BNS.

Head of the institute, Marje Josing said at a press conference on Thursday that a growth of 0.7% allows to say that there is no change on the market and the market is quite stable.


The indicator totaled 8.62 liters of absolute alcohol per resident if minors were also taken into account and this figure did not change compared to 2016, the ministry said.


Of the 10.3 liters of absolute alcohol consumed per Estonian resident aged 15 years or older last year, 3.6 liters was strong liquor, or 2.7% than the year before. The amount of vodka bought fell 5% to 2.2 liters, while the amount of beer grew 24% to 4.3 liters, of grape wines by 4.6% to 1.8 liters and of other low-alcohol drinks by 0.4% to 0.6 liters.


The domestic market has declined from 15.6 liters of absolute alcohol per adult to 13 liters. Illegal sales have remained at 0.5 liters. The amount of alcohol purchased abroad has grown from 0.8 liters to 2.6 liters of absolute alcohol per adult. The amount of alcohol bought from Estonia fell from 5.5 liters of absolute alcohol in 2016 to 4.6 liters.


According to EKI's calculations, the alcohol bought from abroad, mainly Latvia, amounted to 2.6 liters of absolute alcohol per an adult resident last year. The consumption data can also be influenced by Latvians and Finnish buying alcohol from stores located on the Estonian-Latvian border.


"Estonian residents' alcohol consumption is too high and all possibilities for reducing the consumption are important. The state's alcohol policy is like a toolbox which includes very many tools and raising the price through excise duty rates is just one tool of alcohol policy," Josing said.


"Now it is clear that that measure has exhausted itself, because due to the great price difference border trade with Latvia has emerged," she said, adding that more attention has to be paid to other alcohol policy measures to reduce consumption.


According to Maris Jesse, deputy secretary general of the Social Ministry in the field of health, the consumption numbers show that Estonians' addition to alcohol is still substantial. "Consistent implementation of a wholesome alcohol policy is necessary to reduce alcohol consumption and that is what we are doing," Jesse said. She added that as of June 1 changes to alcohol advertising took effect to reduce the attractiveness of such commercials. In addition, the state has expanded treatment opportunities and is implementing measures in other fields of alcohol policy.






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