How do minors succeed in buying beer in Sweden?

Abstract

Aims This study examines the compliance with the law against selling beer to under-aged persons in Sweden. It also analyses determinants of compliance and the importance of checking IDs. The paper also aims to reveal the strategies used by youths when purchasing beer. Methods & Data The study is the result of a close collaboration between the Swedish Youth Temperance movement (UNF) and researchers at Örebro University. UNF has been responsible for the purchase attempts, and the research team for the analyses. The data consists of 681 purchase attempts in seven cities in Sweden during 2003–2004. Results Almost half of the purchase attempts made by under-aged persons (14–17 years old) resulted in successfully buying beer. The study reveals that the genders of the check-out clerk and the buyer are significant with regard to both selling/buying beer and asking for ID. The proportion of sales was significantly higher to girls than boys, both in total and when they were asked for ID first. Conclusions The study shows that under-aged teenagers succeed in purchasing beer in Sweden despite the present legislation. Some succeed because of the tricks they use, and some because of the check-out clerk's negligence. The procedure used in the present study – letting under-aged persons attempt to purchase beer – resembles the situation for ordinary teenagers trying to buy beer under normal circumstances.

Working with or against the stores?

“…None of the results from this or an earlier study (Geidne and Eriksson, 2008) confirm this. Media was also keener to report bad news than good, which did not help the cooperation method in getting its message out.…”

“…Minors employ strategies for purchasing beer (Geidne and Eriksson, 2008). The store owners who came to the meetings were pleased when they were told about these tricks and how underage youths behave in order to purchase beer.…”

“…Their central viewpoint is that beer should be sold in state-run stores, not in grocery stores, as it is more accessible to the under-aged in grocery stores. This is something that numerous purchase studies have shown (Rehnman et al, 2005;Geidne and Eriksson, 2008). Although the aim with this project is to test two newly developed interventions containing PAs.…”

A Research Strategy Case Study of Alcohol and Drug Prevention by Non-Governmental Organizations in Sweden 2003-2009

“…The other method was based on the idea to actively seek cooperation with the retail grocery sector, the municipality's alcohol administrator or drug coordinator (the municipalities are organized differently), the police, and the labour unions. The evaluation program was designed as a quasi-experimental study and as a follow up of the alcohol legislation concerning the sale of beer to minors in Sweden [75] and of the effect of different strategies to influence the shops to comply with the law [74]. …”

“…Only one project has reduction of availability as its focus. This project focused on following up the alcohol legislation concerning the sale of beer to minors in Sweden [ 75 ] and the effect of different strategies to influence shops to comply with the law [ 74 ].…”