Strong Public Support for Health-Promoting Alcohol Policies
A recent survey conducted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) reveals that most people in Finland support maintaining the current evidence-based alcohol policy system.
The current alcohol policy system prioritises health promotion and harm prevention. According to the survey, 54% of respondents believe that the existing alcohol policy is appropriate. In addition, 17% support further improved and upscaled policies.
On the contrary, only 20% want a worsened, further eroded alcohol policy.
This data highlights a growing preference for policies that protect people’s health by limiting the availability of alcoholic products.
The survey also shows a significant shift in public opinion over the past few years.
- In 2022, 29% of respondents wanted a worsened alcohol policy.
- By 2025, that figure had dropped to 20%.
- At the same time, support for improved alcohol policies in line with international standards increased from 8% to 17%.
- This shows a clear trend among the people in Finland toward better alcohol policy for promoting health and preventing harms.
Alcohol Monopoly System: A Proven Public Health Solution
In Finland, the retail sale of alcoholic beverages exceeding 5.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) is exclusively managed by Alko, the state-owned alcohol retail monopoly. Established in 1932, Alko operates under the supervision of the Finnish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. Its primary objective is to mitigate alcohol-related harms by controlling the availability and distribution of high-strength alcoholic beverages.
This system plays a critical role in preventing and reducing alcohol harm in Finland because it succeeds in preventing price competition and aggressive alcohol marketing.
The THL survey found that 54% of respondents believe limiting alcohol availability reduces alcohol use, marking an 11 percentage point increase since 2022.
Research cited by Movendi International supports this, showing that dismantling the retail monopoly could lead to a 9% increase in alcohol use and a 14% rise in alcohol-related deaths. The monopoly also curbs price competition and marketing, making it a cost-effective approach to preventing alcohol harm.
Declining Support for Selling Wine in Grocery Stores
The survey also examined public attitudes toward allowing grocery stores to sell wine. People’s support for this policy change has steadily declined over the past three years.
- In 2022, 54% of respondents supported the sale of wine in grocery stores.
- By 2023, this figure had dropped to 48%, and
- In 2025, only 42% expressed support – a 12 percentage point decline since 2022.
Moreover, only 21% of respondents support wine sales in grocery stores if it also means that high-strength alcoholic beverages would be sold there. This figure has remained unchanged from the previous year, showing that most people oppose worsening and further eroding the current alcohol policy system.
Public Concern About Alcohol Availability and Regulation
The survey also examined trust in enforcing age limits and intoxication bans if alcohol home deliveries were allowed.
The results reveal strong public scepticism:
- 43% do not trust enforcement at all, if alcohol home deliveries were allowed.
- 35% have little trust, if alcohol home deliveries were allowed.
- 12% trust it somewhat.
- Only 4% fully trust enforcement.
These findings reinforce that most people recognise the risks of expanding alcohol availability and favour policies that prioritise health and safety.
The survey also highlighted notable gender differences in attitudes toward alcohol policy. Among men, 29% support allowing wine sales in grocery stores, even if it means that spirits and other strong alcoholic beverages would also be available there. In contrast, only 13% of women share this view, indicating remarkable support for health-focused policies among women.
Lessons from Past Alcohol Policy Changes in Finland
Past alcohol policy changes in Finland show the risks of eroding alcohol policy measures. Research on Finland’s 2018 Alcohol Act, when grocery stores were allowed to sell beverages with up to 5.5% alcohol content, found that alcohol use increased by 3% following the policy change.
Furthermore, the policy change led to an estimated 160 additional alcohol-related deaths per year in 2019 and 2020 compared to 2017. Likewise, alcohol-related violence increased by 25–30% highlighting the direct negative effects of worsened alcohol policies on people’s health and community safety.
People Prioritise Health Over Increased Alcohol Availability
Leading expert Thomas Karlsson from THL notes that many people expect swift action on critical societal issues, but increasing alcohol availability is not a priority.
“Already, there is extensive access to alcoholic beverages, and most people are satisfied with the current situation.”
Thomas Karlsson, THL
The THL survey results align with international research, which consistently shows that policies limiting alcohol availability reduce alcohol-related harm. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises state-owned alcohol retail monopolies, such as Alko, as effective tools for reducing population-level alcohol consumption and protecting people’s health.
For Further Reading
World Health Organization (WHO) Europe: “WHO Europe highlights Nordic alcohol monopolies as a comprehensive model for reducing alcohol consumption and harm“