Alcohol sales increased last year

BeerBeer. Photo: Norway Today Media

Alcohol sales in Norway increased by 2.4% between 2015 and 2016. The sales of beer in stores increased the most, according to preliminary figures from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH).

‘The increase corresponds to an average of one deciliter of pure alcohol per capita over the past 15 years’, said scientific researcher, Daniel Bergsvik at the NIPH.

Alcohol sales increased by a total of 687,000 liters of pure alcohol from 2015 to 2016. The calculations carried out by the Public Health Institute show that statistically, for every citizen over the age of 15, there was a purchase of 6.79 liters of pure alcohol in 2016.

This corresponds to sales in grocery stores, and the leisure industry, of 3.10 liters of pure alcohol per person, while Vinmonopolet sales accounted for 2.92 liters, and duty free sales for 0.38 liters.

6.79 liters of pure alcohol is equivalent to about 73 bottles of wine, or 150 liters of beer.

‘The majority of the increase in alcohol sales from 2015 to 2016 was due to increased sales of regular beer sales in stores, said Bergsvik. Beer sales went up from 236 million liters in 2015, to 246 million liters in 2016. The sales of strong beer with an alcohol content exceeding 4.7 per cent also increased.

The total sale of alcohol includes border trade in Sweden, trading on ferries going abroad, purchases in other countries, and duty-free sales on arrival at Norwegian airports. Duty-free sales are registered, while those made abroad are calculated from surveys.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today