Alcoholic beverage price trends

Quality description

The quality description of the Statistics on alcoholic beverage price index assesses the reliability and suitability of the statistics for different purposes in accordance with the quality description recommendation of the Official Statistics of Finland (OSF).

Relevance of statistical data

The statistics Alcoholic beverage price indexes describe trends in the consumer prices of alcoholic beverages.

The reference period of time for the alcoholic beverage price index (2000=100) is the year 2000. The previous reference periods for the alcoholic beverage price index were 1951 and 1969.

The data are based on national statistics and registers collected by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL, previously STAKES until 2008), Alko Inc. and Statistics Finland. The data collection is based on the Statistics Act (280/2004) and the Act on the National Institute for Health and Welfare (668/2008).

Description of methods

The alcoholic beverage price index is calculated from the alcoholic beverages retail sales index and the licensed serving index by adding them together with weights. The weights represent the shares of the value of the alcohol consumption for the year corresponding to the index to be calculated.

The retail sales price index is obtained from the alcoholic beverage price indexes prepared by Alko Inc. and the grocery shop alcoholic beverage price indexes calculated by Statistics Finland by adding them together with weights. The weights represent the shares of the value of the alcohol consumption for the year corresponding to the index to be calculated.

As part of monitoring price trends in licensed serving, THL collects data on the restaurant prices of exemplar drinks from some 190 restaurants four times a year. The sample consists of an average of 120 A- and B-licensed restaurants and 70 C-licensed restaurants. The restaurants for the survey are selected through random sampling, with each restaurant participating for an average of three years. A reminder is sent to restaurants that fail to respond within a specified time. For each specified type of beverage, the restaurants report the price of their most popular product.

The price indexes are calculated using the Divisia-Törnqvist index formula. A more detailed description of the price indexes used is available in the publication Valtion tuottavuustilaston laatuseloste 2007.

Correctness and accuracy of data

The correctness and accuracy of retail sales data depends on the correctness and accuracy of the data received from Alko Inc. and Statistics Finland. If an error is suspected, the data are re-inspected.

Licensed serving data are correct insofar as the price data have been reported correctly by restaurants. Data are compared with previous data, and efforts are made to find the reasons for any major deviations. If an error is suspected, the data item is excluded from the statistics.

New products introduced to the market can be included in the calculation of the index only after they have been on the market for a minimum of two calculation periods.

Timeliness and promptness of published data

THL produces the retail price indexes monthly, so that they are available on the 14th day (or the next working day if the 14th is not a working day) of the month following the statistical reference month. The price indexes for licensed serving are calculated four times a year, so that they are available within one and a half months of the end of the statistical reference month. The statistics are preliminary when they are published. The final data are published in June following the statistical reference year.

Availability and transparency of data

The annual statistical report published on alcoholic beverage price trends can be found on the THL website in Finnish. The data are also published in the Yearbook of Alcohol and Drug Statistics, an online publication in the OSF Publication Series.
Alcoholic beverage price trends (in Finnish)
Yearbook of Alcohol and Drug Statistics

Comparability of statistical data

In 1932–1994, data on alcoholic beverage price trends were produced by Alko Inc. Since 1995, alcoholic beverage price indexes have been prepared and published by STAKES, and since 2009 by THL. Since 1995, alcohol beverage price index series have been compiled and prepared by Alko Inc. concerning retail sales by Alko, by Statistics Finland concerning alcoholic beverages sold by grocery stores and by THL concerning licensed serving in restaurants.

The index series are then added together with weights and published by THL. Data on alcoholic beverage price trends are available from THL, from 1951 onwards. No changes have been made in the concepts and definitions. The concepts used in the report are defined under Concepts and definitions.

The statistics use a product classification by purpose that is based on a version of the international COICOP classification that has been adopted by the statistical authorities of the EU. The classification has been specified somewhat for national use.

Clarity and consistency

The statistical report contains nationwide price data. Data collection on licensed serving and retail sales takes place at national level.

Special issues concerning the 2014 statistics

The price increases in early 2014 are partly due to a raise in taxes on alcoholic beverages as of 1 January 2014.

Accessibility corrections have been made 15.12.2022.

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