Alkoholmonopol och folkhälsa - Statens folkhälsoinstitut

16 alkoholmonopol och folkhälsa
Effect of increased alcohol consumption on vulnerable groups
Alcohol policy addresses not only the overall effects on health and social problems of
alcohol consumption in the population; it often also addresses the consequences for particularly
vulnerable groups. Thus certain regulations focus on restricting consumption and
limiting injury and harm in young people, such as age limits and restrictions regarding
advertising that targets young people. Other regulations are aimed at heavy consumers,
such as regulations regarding overserving and the sale of alcohol to intoxicated persons.
In comparison to other retail systems, the Swedish monopoly is very effective when it
comes to enforcing the age limit for purchasing alcohol. It is probable that privatization
would entail a less effective enforcement of the age limit, and thereby an increase in the
availability of alcohol for young people. Young people are especially sensitive to advertising
and marketing, and it is probable that privatization would lead to increased advertising
and marketing, which would probably lead to a relative increase in young people’s consumption.
We do not know whether regulations concerning the sale of alcohol to intoxicated
individuals are better enforced under a monopoly than in privatized sales, but it
would seem likely that this would be the case.
In addition to measures that specifically target vulnerable groups, there is evidence
that some general measures have a greater effect on vulnerable groups than on other
groups of consumers. In comparison to other consumer groups, both young people and
heavy consumers are more sensitive to price changes and an increased concentration of
sales outlets. Thus, if a privatization of alcohol sales involves discount products being
introduced to the market and/or an increase to the number of sales outlets, it is likely that
consumption will increase among young people and heavy consumers. It has furthermore
been established that when the total consumption increases, the consumption of heavy
consumers also increases relative to other consumers.
This study did not analyse the extent of the effects of changes to alcohol policy with
respect to vulnerable groups. Based on our review of current scientific research, however,
we can conclude that privatizing the Swedish retail market for alcohol would likely lead
to a significant increase in alcohol consumption and thereby also in alcohol-related harm
among particularly vulnerable groups such as young people and heavy consumers.
Summary and conclusions
The retail monopoly for alcohol has been questioned ever since Sweden joined the EU.
There has also been constant pressure to do away with other aspects of the national alcohol
policy established in Sweden in an aim to protect public health and safety. Even though
the EC Court of Justice has upheld the legality of the monopoly on retail, there have been
a series of other pressures to reduce the effects of the monopoly. The EC Court’s recent
ruling to nullify the Swedish ban on Internet sales is an example of this.
In a system of licensed private liquor stores, higher product sales lead to higher profits.
For most products, increased competition leads to lower prices and greater availability