Last year, alcohol sales in Estonia significantly declined. Retail chains do not expect a resumption of growth in the coming years, reports rus.err.ee. After all, buyers may go to the border for alcohol.
"The consumption of strong alcoholic beverages has decreased the most in volume. Sales of wine, beer, and low-alcohol drinks have not fallen as sharply, but the overall trend is the same as in food retail: the share of products purchased during promotions is increasing, meaning that discounted prices remain the driving force behind sales," commented Oliver Rist, sales director of the Coop retail chain.
The businessman emphasized that due to high prices, local consumers may once again redirect their purchases to neighboring Latvia.
"The further south in Estonia, the more noticeable the decline in sales, so we assume that some buyers will again go to the border for alcohol. I would like to hope that people are drinking less, but I think the decisive factor is still the price," he commented.
Retail chains do not expect a resumption of sales growth in the near future. "After all, the new year has begun with an increase in alcohol excise taxes, and similar plans are in place for 2027 and 2028. What will happen next, I do not know. But if we continue to run ahead of our southern neighbors, we should be wary of maintaining this trend: people will again be bringing alcohol from the border," Rist said.
