09.12.2024 - Alcohol consumption in Sweden has decreased by approximately 10 percent over the past decade, measured in pure alcohol. This is highlighted in new data from CAN (Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs).
“It is primarily the reduction in cross-border alcohol purchases that has contributed to this decline, while Systembolaget's share of alcohol consumption has increased,” says Björn Trolldal, a researcher and analyst at CAN.
In 2023, alcohol consumption fell by 2.7 percent.
“This decrease is attributed both to the long-term downward trend and to the economic challenges faced during the year,” adds Björn Trolldal.
Breakdown of alcohol consumption in 2023
The table below shows the total alcohol consumption in Sweden, broken down by source, as a share of pure alcohol per resident aged 15 and older:
Source | Share in 2023 |
Systembolaget | 70.5% |
Restaurants | 11.6% |
Cross-border purchases | 7.2% |
Sales of light beer | 4.0% |
Home production | 2.7% |
Purchases of smuggled alcohol | 2.1% |
Online purchases* | 1.9% |
Total | 100% |
*Note: Online sales from Systembolaget are not included in the online purchases category.
Read the full report: Alcohol consumption in Sweden 2001–2023
Background
The Monitor surveys began in the year 2000 and have been conducted continuously since then. Their primary purpose is to estimate total alcohol consumption in Sweden and monitor changes over time.
Since 2020, data on unregistered consumption has been collected through both self-administered questionnaires and telephone interviews with individuals aged 17–84 across Sweden. Each year, approximately 18,000 people participate, and since the survey's inception, over 410,000 individuals have taken part. The reported figures represent pure alcohol consumption per resident aged 15 and older.