Consumers are buying less alcohol around Midsummer

Sales of strong alcohol are noticeably lower around Midsummer this year, supermarkets say, due to customers' declining purchasing power.
Midsummer (June 23-24) is one of the biggest holidays of the year and this usually leads to an uptick in supermarket sales, partying and travel. However, consumers' shopping habits have started to change in recent years.
"Consumer confidence remains low, so first and foremost people still look to see whether their favourite product has a yellow label, or they switch and try something new that has a yellow label. This has actually been a consistent pattern for the past three or four years, that consumers pay close attention to the price," Oliver Rist, purchasing director at Coop Eesti told Monday's "Aktuaalne kaamera."
This year, watermelon, non-alcoholic drinks and grilling supplies, such as barbecue meat, charcoal and disposable tableware have been the most purchased items in the run up to the holiday.
However, a dip in alcohol sales is noticeable and there has been a shift towards "low-alcohol beverages."
"The share of strong alcohol is decreasing," Rist said. "For a long time, non-alcoholic beer was growing strongly. We see that it has now, so to speak, reached its ceiling."
But one area where consumer habits have not changed is travel. Ferry services to Estonia's islands are running at full capacity.
"In the direction of Hiiumaa, that's around 12-13 departures from one harbour. Towards Saaremaa or Muhumaa, at least close to thirty, so we are operating at full schedule," said TS Laevad CEO Indrek Randveer.
"The more serious situation will come when all these people want to start travelling back from the islands. So we believe and expect that June 24 and 25 will be very busy working days from the islands to the mainland, and likewise the weekend," he added.
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Editor: Helen Wright, Johanna Alvin
Source: Aktuaalne kaamera












