Yle: July strong liquor sales in Estonia up 20 percent
Following the reduction of the alcohol excise duty, strong liquor sales in Estonia increased 20-25 percent at various retail chains. According to stores, part of this increase can also be attributed to cooler summer weather.
Coop marketing director Andres Lember told Finnish public broadcaster Yle (link in Finnish) that strong liquor sales increased some 20 percent on year this month.
According to Lember, strong liquor sales have increased the most in stores along Estonia's southern border. He added, however, that once the reduced alcohol excise duty in Latvia kicks in on Aug. 1, Estonians will start heading across the border to buy alcohol again.
Rimi communications director Katrin Bats noted that strong liquor sales this month have increased as much as by a quarter on year, while sales of lighter alcohol-by-volume beverages remained relatively steady.
While it's too early to say yet what the actual effects of lowering the alcohol excise duty rate on alcohol consumption are, Bats nonetheless finds that it is clear already that it does have an impact.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
