Changes in volume of drinking after changes in alcohol taxes and travellers' allowances: results from a panel study

Mäkelä, Pia; Bloomfield, Kim; Gustafsson, Nina-Katri; Huhtanen, Petri; Room, Robin

doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.02049.x

Cited by 64 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Results from these survey series are reported in detail elsewhere (e.g., Bloomfield et al, 2010;Mäkelä et al, 2007;Mäkelä et al, 2008). These results are drawn on here in comparison with results from other sources.…”

Section: Methods Designsupporting

confidence: 51%

“…Policy changes in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden over a seven-month period in 2003-2004 offered a natural opportunity to test the effects of changes in alcohol price and availability in these countries (Table 1) (Mäkelä, Bloomfield, Gustafsson, Huhtanen, & Room, 2008). There were substantial changes in travellers' allowances for bringing alcohol home from other European Union countries without further tax.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

What happened to alcohol consumption and problems in the Nordic countries when alcohol taxes were decreased and borders opened?

Room

Bloomfield

Gmel

et al. 2013

IJADR

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Aims: The study tests the effects of reductions in alcohol taxation and increases in travellers' allowances on alcohol consumption and related harm in Denmark, Finland, and southern Sweden. In late 2003 and early 2004, taxes on alcoholic beverages were reduced in Denmark and Finland, and the abolition of quantitative quotas on alcohol import for personal use from other European Union countries made cheaper alcohol more available in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden.Method: Analyses of routine statistical register data and summaries of results from longitudinal and repeated cross-sectional population surveys and other previous analyses, with northern Sweden as a control site for secular trends.Results: Contrary to expectations, alcohol consumption-as based on register data-increased only in Finland and not in Denmark and southern Sweden, and self-reported survey data did not show an increase in any site. In Finland, alcoholattributable harms in register data increased, especially in people with low socio-economic status. Few such effects were found in Denmark and southern Sweden. Neither did results for self-reported alcohol-attributable problems show any general increases in the three sites. These results remained after controlling for regression to the mean and modelling of drop-outs. Conclusions:Harms measured in register data did tend to increase in the short term with the policy change, particularly in Finland, where the tax changes were broader. But reducing price and increasing availability does not always increase alcohol consumption and harm. Effects are dampened in affluent societies, and other factors may intervene. The results for Finland also suggest some limits for general population surveys in testing for relatively small policy effects.

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Section: Methods Designsupporting

confidence: 51%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

What happened to alcohol consumption and problems in the Nordic countries when alcohol taxes were decreased and borders opened?

Room

Bloomfield

Gmel

et al. 2013

IJADR

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The changes in Finnish alcohol policy in 2004 increased severe alcohol-related harm among the poorest sections of the population, such as the unemployed. In addition, those better off also increased consumption [28][29][30].…”

Section: Policiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Travellers' alcohol imports from abroad are difficult to assess, and our results on the effects of imported alcohol are vague. Some studies on travellers' imports and undocumented alcohol consumption have been conducted, but more reliable information is still needed [3,28].…”

Section: Ols (95% Ci) Fe (95% Ci) Fe (95% Ci)mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship between Alcohol Availability and Alcohol Consumption

Pulliainen¹,

Valtonen²

2017

J Pol Sci Pub Aff

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This paper examines the relationship between retail alcohol supply and total alcohol consumption. In Finland, the state alcohol company (Alko) has a retail monopoly on the sale of stronger alcoholic beverages. Only drinks with a maximum of 4.7% alcohol by volume can be sold in licensed grocery stores. The influence of the state alcohol monopoly was examined using data from Alko outlets and controlled sales from restaurants and grocery stores, prices, regional differences in consumption levels, and the trend over time. Data were collected from Alko registers and the National Institute of Health and Welfare. Panel data from regions of Finland over the period 1995-2009 were analysed using regression models.This study provides evidence that alcohol supply has an impact on alcohol consumption. The consumption of strong alcohol and wine increases as the number of Alko outlets grows. Taxation through pricing also affects the purchase of strong alcohol. The disposable income of the consumer does not influence consumption, and there is no relationship between the number of Alko outlets and alcohol consumption in restaurants and alcohol purchases from grocery stores.

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“…However, the same effects were not observed in Denmark and southern Sweden, despite the adoption of similar measures (i.e. abolition of stringent quotas and reduction of high tax rates on alcohol) in the same time period (Mäkelä et al 2008). Alcohol and tobacco are considerably more expensive in Norway than in Sweden, due to a higher taxation in Norway.…”

mentioning

confidence: 84%