Alko’s sales decreased clearly – The three best-selling products are spirits

I’ll start sales decreased significantly last year. 71.2 million liters of drinks were bought from Alko in the last year, i.e. about seven percent less than in 2023.

After the amendment to the alcohol law that came into effect in June, Alko’s sales were ten percent lower than last year. The sale of alcoholic beverages with a maximum of 8 percent fermentation was expanded to grocery stores last June.

According to Alko, the change in the law has decreased the company’s liter sales in all product groups.

Alko’s business manager Kari Pennanen according to the law change applies to about four percent of Alko’s liter sales. However, according to the company, the effects on Alko’s sales are greater than the current sales volume of the product category in question.

I’ll start 62 percent of the total liter sales are wines, and in terms of sales, the most significant changes can be seen in this product group, the company says.

“As we expected, the change in the alcohol law has targeted the sale of all product groups sold in Alko. The biggest drop in sales in liters has been in wines with more than 8 percent. The sale of beers with more than 8% has also decreased clearly,” says Pennanen in the press release.

In Alko, the sales liters of wines decreased by 7.7 percent last year and spirits by 9.1 percent. About 44 million liters of wine and about 19 million liters of spirits were sold.

“There are approximately 12 times more grocery stores than Alko’s stores and sales hours are 20 percent longer than ours. Grocery stores also sell alcoholic beverages on Sundays. It is clear that this is reflected in our sales liters. On average, we do business about once a month, while the grocery store does business several times a week,” commented Pennanen.

Before the June law change, in January-May, Alko’s sales were about three percent below the second year’s readings. The decline in sales was clearly steeper after the June law change.

I’ll start Last year’s three best-selling products were Leijona Viina, Koskenkorva Viina and Suomi Viina. Next on the list of best sellers are the wines 2u Duas Uvas and Gato Negro Sauvignon Blanc. The list includes those drinks for which Alko has the exclusive right to retail sales defined by law.

“The ten best-selling spirits make up about 50 percent of the sales of the entire product group, which means that sales are strongly concentrated on a few products,” says Pennanen.

Chile continues to be the most popular wine country for red and white wines. France still holds the top spot in rosé wines, but Chile has become the second best-selling rosé wine country ahead of Spain.