18.03.2025 - Alcohol consumption decreased by 2.3% in 2024 compared to 2023, measured in pure alcohol. This is according to preliminary data from CAN (the Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs).
"The lower consumption is partly due to a decline in online alcohol purchases outside of Systembolaget, but also to a decrease in purchases of smuggled alcohol," says Björn Trolldal, researcher and investigator at CAN.
Systembolaget’s sales also declined slightly, though they remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.
"The decrease in consumption is part of a long-term trend, but the weaker economy has likely also played a role," Trolldal adds.
The table below presents total alcohol consumption in 2024, broken down by source, measured in pure alcohol per inhabitant aged 15 and older (preliminary data).
Source | Share 2024 |
Systembolaget | 72% |
Restaurants | 12% |
Private imports | 7% |
Low-alcohol beer sales | 4% |
Home production | 2% |
Purchases of smuggled alcohol | 2% |
Online purchases* | 1% |
Total | 100% |
*Systembolaget's online sales are not included in the online purchases category.
Background
The Monitor survey began in 2000 and has been conducted continuously since then. Its main purpose is to estimate total alcohol consumption in Sweden and track changes over time.
The survey compiles both registered alcohol sales (Systembolaget, restaurants, and grocery stores) and unregistered consumption, which includes private imports, purchases of smuggled alcohol, online purchases, and home production. The unregistered segments are captured through a CAN-administered survey within the framework of the Monitor survey. By combining registered and unregistered data, the survey provides an overall picture of alcohol consumption in Sweden.
Since 2020, data on unregistered consumption has been collected through both self-administered questionnaires and ongoing telephone interviews with Swedes aged 17–84. Approximately 18,000 people participate each year, and since the survey's inception, over 430,000 individuals have taken part. The reported figures are based on the amount of pure alcohol per capita for those aged 15 and older.
The report “Alcohol consumption in 2024 – preliminary data from the Monitor survey” is available for download at can.se/nyheter.