Sector Trend Analysis – Wine, beer, ready-to-drink, cider / perry, and spirits in Finland

Overview

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the consumption of alcoholic drinks in Finland is led by beer (47.2%), followed by wine (20.3%), spirits (16.8%), and other (15.8%). Finland is the forty fifth largest alcohol consumer per capita in the world, consuming 9.2 liters per person annually, which is slightly lower than Denmark, Netherlands, and Sweden.

Alcoholic drinks in Finland experienced a decline in retail sales in 2023. While on-trade sales remained buoyant, off-trade sales suffered from the revival of personal imports from neighbouring countries Estonia and Lativia, where unit prices are cheaper. On-trade sales of alcoholic drinks continued to recover in 2023, following the losses experienced as a result of restrictions imposed during the pandemic. The year saw the normalisation of social behaviour, with consumers gradually returning to bars, restaurants, and other on-trade establishments for their drinking experiences. At the same time, off-trade sales suffered from the revival of personal imports from the neighbouring countries of Estonia and Lativia, where unit prices are more affordable. Nonetheless, at-home drinking, including cocktail making, remained popular, as consumers looked to curb their spending.

With the COVID-19 situation having been normalised, private imports of alcohol had a negative impact on retail sales. Price increases also played an important role in suppressing domestic demand, especially of low-income earners, who were disproportionately affected by the rising cost of living. With budgets being squeezed, many Finns have opted for more affordable options while others continue to purchase highquality alcoholic drinks, albeit less frequently than previously.

The health and wellness trend has impacted the market for alcoholic drinks in Finland. There is a growing consumer interest in low and non-alcoholic drinks. The sober curious trend has gained prominence, especially among young adults, many of whom are drinking less than previous generations, whether on or off-trade. Companies are responding by offering healthier choices, with less alcohol, sugar or calories, as well as fewer artificial ingredients. This is notable in Ready to Drink (RTD) and wine.

Product origin is also becoming an important factor in consumer decision-making. Local microbreweries and distilleries are capturing consumers' attention by offering high-quality products made with local and seasonal ingredients. These artisanal producers often differentiate themselves through innovative marketing strategies and a strong commitment to ethical responsibility. Consumers are becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of their choices and are seeking out brands that prioritise sustainability. Companies are responding by adopting carbon-neutral manufacturing processes, utilising renewable energy sources, and improving packaging materials to be lighter, recyclable, and made from recycled materials.

Market characteristics

Alcoholic beverage sales in Finland fell slightly during the pandemic over 2019 to 2023, driven by sales growth declines in all categories except RTDs, which grew 5.7% annually over 2019 to 2023. RTDs are also the only bright spot over 2024 to 2028 with sales growing slightly while all other categories' decline.

Besides beer, RTDs are the most popular alcoholic beverage in Finland, followed by wine. Wine sales are expected to decline the least over 2024 to 2028 by 0.6% annually. Cider/perry and spirits are expected to decline the most, by 2.3% annually.

On-trade sales fell by almost half during the pandemic and are not expected to reach pre-pandemic levels over 2024 to 2028 with growth in alcohol sales being driven by off-trade. 2023 saw consumers gradually returning to bars, restaurants, and other on-trade establishments. At the same time, off-trade sales suffered from the revival of personal imports from the neighbouring countries of Estonia and Lativia, which serves as a chief source destination for Finnish consumers seeking alcoholic beverages at affordable prices. Off-trade (at home) drinking is expected to remain popular as consumers look to curb their spending.

Beer

Beer sales fell slightly over 2019 to 2023 and are projected to continue sliding over 2024 to 2028 by 1.1% annually, driven mainly by lower standard lager and stout sales and the economic recession, which will cause consumers to remain price sensitive. Consumers' have been increasingly interested in health and sustainability since the pandemic, which has driven a shift in consumer preferences towards non-alcoholic beer. As well, craft and artisanal alcoholic drinks are experiencing rising interest from younger generations with potential to further expand due to their use of local or unique flavoured craft beer.

Beer manufacturers are expected to adapt to changing consumer preferences by offering consumers new and exciting flavour experiences, especially in the form of light and fruity flavours made with natural ingredients. For example, Sinebrychoff´s newly launched Karhu Juicy IPA 4.6% beer, which combines the freshness of natural mango and passion fruit juices, is marketed as an ideal thirst quencher for a summer's day. Other fruity beers from the Sinebrychoff stable include 1664 Rosé 4.5%, a fresh and fruity wheat beer flavoured with a touch of peach and raspberry, and KOFF Long Drink Juiced Grapefruit 5.0%, with a juice content of 8%. Sour flavours are also expected to grow in prominence, following the recent launch of new products, such as Passion Fruit Smoothie Sour and Liquorice Tonka Bean Raspberry Sour (both from Mallassepät).

Low alcohol beer will also see a widening product range, with Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas, for example, marketing its non-alcoholic Laitilan Kukko Lager as having as few calories as an apple while delivering a full beer experience: Sinebrychoff´s KOFF Session Lager 2.8% meanwhile, which is promoted as containing floral, pine, herbal, citrus and berry notes, has begun to be distributed throughout the country.

Ready to drink (RTD)

Sales of RTD were the only drink category that saw positive salves growth during the pandemic, by 5.7% annually over 2019 to 2023 and is projected to continue growing 0.8% annually over 2024 to 2028. Following a boom in 2023, RTDs in Finland are expected to see slower growth in over 2024 to 2028 as the market matures and becomes increasingly saturated.

RTDs represent the best-performing category within the Finnish alcoholic drinks market, driven by ongoing new product development, as players compete to offer consumers unique offerings. Despite having lost their novelty value, spirit-based RTDs, like hard seltzers, still hold much growth potential in Finland, given that they have established a clear foothold in RTDs. As a result, players will continue to introduce new flavours to cater to buoyant demand.

According to Euromonitor, Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas, for example, has expanded its Naku range of hard seltzers with two new flavours, raspberry and cranberry, both of which are made without added sugar, sweeteners or colouring. At the same time, Anora's SAY Seltzer Pink Lips 4% contains an enigmatic, mystery flavour in a bid to generate consumer interest. Other recent new launches include Sinebrychoff's Garage Hard Seltzer Lemonade Pink and Garage Hard Seltzer Lemonade Tropical, both which hit the shelves in spring 2024. These are positioned as low-calorie RTDs, with 99 calories per can. OLVI Hard Seltzer Watermelon &; Mint meanwhile, has an alcohol content of 4.5% and a low calorie content compared to other mixed drinks, at 25 calories per 100ml. The product also contains no sugar, artificial sweeteners or colours and is made with only natural flavourings.

Wine

Wine in Finland saw declining sales, decreasing 1.8% annually over 2019-2023 to reach 57.4 million litres. Over 2024 to 2028, wine is expected to continue its decrease by 0.6% annually. According to Euromonitor, this is entirely attributable to a decrease in off-trade consumption and the revival of personal imports from neighbouring countries Estonia and Lativia, where wine prices are much cheaper.

The decline in wine sales is also attributable to a shift in attitudes towards alcohol consumption, particularly among younger adults, who are drinking less than previous generations. In response, wine players are moving towards premium wines, as consumers favour quality over quality. Finnish retailer Kesko, for example, has begun to sell a range of high-quality wines through Alko under the Pirkka label, including Pirkka Grand Prestige Champagne Brut, which retails above EUR45.

Red wine has given way to white wine with red wine sales falling and whiie wine sales static over 2019 to 2023 and 2024 to 2028. White wine is increasingly preferred in Finland, due to its light and refreshing taste. In addition, with the growing popularity of vegetarian, vegan and pescatarian diets, white wine tends to be viewed a more suitable accompaniment.

Rosé wine outperformed both red and white wine over 2019 to 2023 and 2024 to 2028. Rosé has established themselves as versatile beverages to be enjoyed all year round, while previously they were mainly thought of as summer drinks. The category also witnessed numerous new launches, with Riesling varieties in particular capturing consumer interest. Hartwall, for example, introduced Dr Pauly-Bergweiler Premium Riesling and Château des Anglades, which were both rosé wines. The trend towards lighter, fresher styles was also evident in red wine, where offerings made from the Pinot Noir grape grew in popularity. One notable new introduction was Cloudline Pinot Noir 2022, which was described as delivering raspberry, cherry, blueberry and light lingonberry aromas.

Non-alcoholic wine continues to experience rapidly growing consumer interest with a host of new product launches. Notable amongst these was Dr Pauly-Bergweiler Blitz Riesling Alcohol Free, which is said to pair well with spicy Asian dishes. Hartwall meanwhile, introduced Varpu Alkoholiton Mustikkaglögi, a non-alcoholic blueberry glogg wine which came in a 1.5 litre bag More non-alcoholic wines are expected to enter the market, moving forward, to cater to this ongoing trend.

Cider / perry in Finland

Cider/perry sales in Finland registered a significant decline in the face of growing maturity and intense competition from other alcoholic drinks, such as beer, wine and RTDs. While sales of regular cider/perry are on a downward trajectory, sales of non-alcoholic cider/perry are growing, reflecting consumers' increasing interest in health and a shift in consumer preferences towards non-alcoholic drinks.

According to Euromonitor, cider/perry has traditionally been promoted as a lighter alternative to wine and a suitable accompaniment to meals, especially fish, seafood and spicy dishes. While large breweries continue to dominate the market, an increasing number of higher-quality, artisanal producers are available, as local microbreweries attempt to modernise the image of cider and make it more attractive to consumers.

Manufacturers are attempting to attract consumers with new and exciting flavour combinations. Fresh and fruity options will be a common theme, with Sinebrychoff, for example, having recently introduced Somersby Raspberry &; Lime 4.5%, which contains 50% fewer calories than its standard formulations. Olvi meanwhile, has recently welcomed Sherwood Candy Apple, a sweet apple cider with a taste of apple and caramel.

Spirits

Sales of spirits in Finland fell overall by 1.5% annually over 2019 to 2023. Demand was negatively impacted by the rising prominence of the sober curious trend as well as an increase in private imports and heavy competition from other types of alcohol, such as beer, wine and RTDs.

Sales of spirits in Finland are expected to continue falling by 1.7% annually over 2024 to 2028 as the category approaches maturity. According to Euromonitor, as price sensitivity remains an issue, opportunities lie within the development of premium spirits, as consumers prefer to purchase quality over quantity. In early 2024, for example, Helsinki Distilling Company introduced Koli Puolukkapontikka, a barrel-aged fruit brandy with the flavour of lingonberry. Limited-edition batches are also expected to find their niche, as exemplified by the recent launch of the Macallan M Black 2020 Release Single Malt whisky, which retails at more than EUR7,000.

Health and wellness is also influencing spirits in Finland as consumers pay more attention to product ingredients and their sugar intake. To cater to this trend, domestic companies like Lignell & Piispanen launched products with less sugar, such as Crafted Apple x Vanilla liqueur, which offered a healthier alternative to traditional liqueurs.

Distribution channels

Hyper and super markets are the largest retail channels for alcohol sales, making up a little over half the market share, followed by specialist and conenience retailers, making up one third share.

Since the pandemic, consumers have prefered visiting large one-stop stores, such as super and hyper markets, where they can purchase all grocery needs including alcoholic drinks. Moreover, some alcoholic drinks such as beer, are usually sold in multipacks in supermarkets and hypermarkets at more affordable prices compared to convenience stores and forecourt retailers.

While ordering alcoholic drinks through e-commerce grew in Finland during the pandemic, it lost popularity in 2023 as Finns purchasing alcohol during trips in neighbouring countries returned to normal levels. The Finnish government is currently considering ways to address the tax loss resulting from e-commerce imports of alcoholic drinks. These measures include detaining purchases and enforcing duties not only on sellers but also on buyers. Among the various categories of alcoholic drinks purchased through international e-commerce, beer stands out as the most popular.

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Resources

• Euromonitor International:
  • Alcoholic Drinks in Singapore, July 2022
  • Beer in Singapore, July 2022
  • Spirits in Singapore, July 2022
  • Wine in Singapore, July 2022
• Global Trade Tracker, 2023

Sector Trend Analysis – Wine, beer, ready-to-drink, cider / perry, and spirits in Finland
Global Analysis Report

Prepared by: Kris Clipsham, Market Analyst

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