Kippis! The strange history of Finland’s love affair with alcohol
Finns have always had an unusual relationship with alcohol. As far back as the 18th century, the French enlightenment philosopher Montesquieu referred to Finns as heavy drinkers. This likely contributed to the prohibition introduced by Sweden in 1756. Prohibition ended under Russian Imperial rule but making moonshine at home remained illegal. Lobbying for complete prohibition remained popular among various busybodies.
Their dream came true in the 20th century. Finland became the fifth country in the world to impose prohibition after the Russian Empire (1914), Iceland (1915), Norway (1916) and Canada (1918). The period lasted from 1919 to 1932 and went as badly as expected. Well-to-do people drank less but the black market created a breeding ground for crime. Despite the end of prohibition and the removal of rationing cards by the state monopoly Alko, alcohol remains under strict regulation. This has led to several peculiarities in Finnish law.
Marketing and branding restrictions
1. Marketers cannot portray journeys
Finnish alcohol must be marketed to stay-at-home hobbits. You are not allowed to portray travelling in advertising selling alcohol. Alcohol brands are not permitted to sponsor motorsports. No one is allowed to name a boat after alcoholic beverages. The famous Alesmith Speedway Stout would be banned in Finland due to its racing flag theme and the inclusion of speedway in the product name.
2. Implying strength is off-limits
Words implying strength are not welcome in alcohol branding. Slogans such as “stronger than a bear” have been considered inappropriate.
3. No athletes allowed
Valvira, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, oversees alcohol advertising. They are strictly against using athletes. For example, a quote from former ski jumper Matti Nykänen about a “50/60 chance” was deemed unseemly. Authorities referred to the fact that the quote referred to Nykänen who suffers from substance abuse. It is astounding that anyone would want to use a notorious wife beater like Nykänen as the face of a brand.
Social media and imagery
4. Bloggers and restaurant social media restrictions
Bloggers cannot accept compensation for discussing beverages. Restaurant owners and wholesale purchasers are not allowed to make positive statements about alcohol products even on personal social media. Restaurant owners must remove positive comments about alcoholic beverages from their social media channels.
5. Sexism and sexual desirability
Valvira has banned certain portrayals of women in ads. Valvira is serious about removing the implication of sexual conquests from alcohol advertising. This became evident in the banning of Ron de Jeremy, a Finnish rum brand that featured the face of porn star Ron Jeremy.
6. No cartoons in branding
Duff Beer from The Simpsons is not Valvira-kosher. The Simpsons has never been dubbed or explicitly marketed towards kids in local media but the brand is licensed for toys. Characters from the Viivi & Wagner comic strip appear to be acceptable in beer marketing. This is likely because the comic is adult oriented and features jokes about panty sniffing.
Sales and the future of Finnish alcohol
7. Restrictions on direct sales
Microbreweries struggle because they are not allowed direct outlet sales without running a full grocery store. Rules about handing out alcohol are strict. A whisky distillery was not allowed to let investors or parents of the owners taste their product at a closed opening ceremony. It was considered illegal promotion.
I agree: “However, one thing is for sure, while the Alko still has a monopoly, the ferries to Tallinn will still enjoy a roaring trade.”
You can order alcohol products online from the internet Thanks for the EU and Free movement of Goods.
I remember the early 90ies whe Estonians in general didn’t have a lot of money and, going on a day trip to Helsinki, everybody brought along a bottle or two of hard liquor to sell on the black. There were people already meeting the boat and everybody got what they wanted. Cheap booze from one side, and some Finnish marks from the other! And what about the viinarallit (vodka buying rallies) to Tallinn! These are still going on, as the price difference remains noticeable. These days Estonians are going on vodka rallies to Latvia, by the way. What a laugh!
I remember very distinctly the Ron Jeremy rum being shown on the No Reservations episode in Helsinki. Maybe that info is outdated? Or different since it was for a US/international audience?
Strange laws but suppose when it’s so dark and cold you might be easy to get carried away with the booze
Typical laws input countries. It’s just opening times. No reference to keeping a record of alcohol.consumption and wives declaring them selves alcoholics so husband could get their allocation
coming from a long line of alcoholics, i can say with authority that this has been so totally mismanaged. here in france i’ve not met one single drunk staggering down the street, yet i’ve seen wine with breakfast.
kids drink kiddie wine. macdonalds serves heineken and wine.
but you rarely see the hard stuff, except on special occasions, like 11/11, when the scotch gets hauled out at 11 am…
I don’t have any Moomin mugs, any Marimekko, any Ikea stuff. But I have in use the mugs from the factory Arabia which makes also the Moomin mugs. The model of the mug is same but I have the figures about Helsinki. Done when Helsinki had the title “Design capital of the year.”
I hope there will be a dispensation in Turku during Europeade 2017 July . I may run out of scotch whisky
Well, you should all come to visit Bulgaria then, fellas ;)
Cheep and non-stop shop selling alcohol 24/7/365 ;)
Not joking.
This really explains a lot. Finns guilt about drinking and still going crazy on the booze