Great News... Beer Prices Will Go Down !!!

[sandundasa]

Plummeting Beer Prices: Cause for Concern




Published 17.10.2007, 10.28

Competition brought on by international breweries is bringing down beer prices. When on sale, a bottle of beer would cost half of what it does today, says the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
The start of 2008 will be the first time Finland's breweries compete with international brands on a levelled playing field. This means price competition can be expected among Finnish and international breweries.

"We can expect to see sales at the beginning of next year, in which single bottles will be marked down to between 50 and 60 cents each. The price drop is something to be critical towards from the viewpoint of underage drinking," says Ismo Tuominen of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Meanwhile, the removal of bulk discounts and the price hike of three cents per bottle will not bring beer prices up. On the contrary, single bottles will be cheaper while 12-packs will only be slightly more expensive.

source: YLE News
http://www.yle.fi/news/id72518.html

[catfish78]

Yeah capitalism!!!!

[Juha H.]

So it says in the paper today. But note that so-called mäyräkoirat will be discontinued and that means that only individual bottles or cans will go down.

[sammy]

that means that only individual bottles or cans will go down.

Hmm I was under the impression that no matter what the price, beer 'goes down' at a regular pace in Finland...

Good news for some, perhaps, but bad news in the sense that perhaps we're likely to see more and more drunkards, young and old, staggering about...?

I for one wouldn't much mind even if the prices stayed the same. Okay, maybe beer is "expensive" in the shops in comparison with many other countries, but in my opinion it's still perfectly affordable and does not cause huge dents in the wallet.

Or maybe I'm not drinking enough?

[ajdias]

Good news for some, perhaps, but bad news in the sense that perhaps we're likely to see more and more drunkards, young and old, staggering about...?

... in the news as an argument to further taxes on alcohol.

I don't get what the "problem" finns have with alcohol. It's not like the overwhelming majority of the population spends their last penny on drinks or are unable to control their alcohol intake. Nevertheless I keep on seeing this propaganda that portrays Finns as idiots that cannot hold themselves from getting wasted. I grew up with beer and wine prices just above milk prices ( less than 10 years ago I could by a beer bottle for 21-24 cents and I remember helping my grandfather selling wine for 20 cents /liter) and I don't regard my own people any more smarter and self conscious than Finns.

Yes, there's a minority that will take as much as they can - just like in every country. Of those many live on public subsidies which means that they are being paid to drink. Instead of dealing with those cases the state chooses to make us all pay for it.

[Karhunkoski]

Nevertheless I keep on seeing this propaganda that portrays Finns as idiots that cannot hold themselves from getting wasted. I grew up with beer and wine prices just above milk prices

They're not idiots but there is a deeply rooted drink problem here Finland. It's fuelled by a combination of socialisation leading to habit forming and perhaps the much-talked about "Alcoholic Gene". It's a cultural thing and unlikely to change anytime soon.

In the meantime, the government has a responsibility to the rest of us (taxpayers) to try and prevent the country slipping further into alcohlism (read: will cause increased health care costs for taxpayers, more sickness time from work, less efficiency in production, possible breakdown in public services).

So if the government chooses to try and limit alcohol consumption through high alcohol taxation, then that is fine for me. The added benefit is of course that every euro of tax collected in alcohol tax is one less euro that the government needs to collect in income tax from your salary, meaning we can all continue to enjoy this Nordic social model......

[ajdias]

They're not idiots but there is a deeply rooted drink problem here Finland. It's fuelled by a combination of socialisation leading to habit forming and perhaps the much-talked about "Alcoholic Gene". It's a cultural thing and unlikely to change anytime soon.

Does anyone actually know how bad is the Finnish problem? It certainly is more vsiible but is it any worse than other countries or is this more of a result of everyone repeating this mantra?

But I do agree that is unlikely to change while people indulge themselves with this "gene" thing and prices are kept high so that people must drink as much and as fast as they can in order to maximize their utility function.

In the meantime, the government has a responsibility to the rest of us (taxpayers) to try and prevent the country slipping further into alcoholism (read: will cause increased health care costs for taxpayers, more sickness time from work, less efficiency in production, possible breakdown in public services).

Like the past and current policies have had must effect? Like drunks in the street can't go around messing and harassing other people knowing that not much will happen to then and the next day they can start all over again? What if instead of punishing the majority of the population the government took real steps to address these people problems? I really don't see the government taking much responsibility. And as for more taxes, that's not the issue here, as much as having the cost fall onto the proper subjects.

[sinikala]

So if the government chooses to try and limit alcohol consumption through high alcohol taxation, then that is fine for me. The added benefit is of course that every euro of tax collected in alcohol tax is one less euro that the government needs to collect in income tax from your salary, meaning we can all continue to enjoy this Nordic social model......

Whilst I generally agree with what you posted, two points...

1) There is no evidence to support the idea that more Government income from alcohol sales means that less income tax will be levied.

The Finnish government will quite happily take (and have no trouble in spending) both the €s from the sales tax on beer and the €s from income tax.

2) very few "enjoy" the Nordic social model, the majority of us are paying for it, not enjoying it.

[Karhunkoski]

What if instead of punishing the majority of the population the government took real steps to address these people problems?

Easy to say isn't it? As I said a few months back, the people who govern Finland (and the people who police it, the judges we have, the decision makers we have) may not always be perfect, however they are generally the best, most experienced and most qualified option that we have......... If there was an easy answer, they would have come up with it by now.

[Karhunkoski]

2) very few "enjoy" the Nordic social model, the majority of us are paying for it, not enjoying it.

It must be a personal thing (I like the system, that's why I am here). My conscience enjoys looking after those less fortunate than me And I'm even more grateful that because the system gives money to poor people, they don't feel the need to lift the TV from my home to sell down the local ravintola

But we have to agree to disagree Fishy. You described yourself as "greedy" in another thread. I'm neither greedy nor selfish, that's why I am so happy living here in Finland

[sinikala]

What if instead of punishing the majority of the population the government took real steps to address these people problems?

Easy to say isn't it? As I said a few months back, the people who govern Finland (and the people who police it, the judges we have, the decision makers we have) may not always be perfect, however they are generally the best, most experienced and most qualified option that we have......... If there was an easy answer, they would have come up with it by now.

Forgive me for being a bit sceptical, but this is a country that elects to political office people of the calibre of ex-pro wrestlers, rally drivers, and beauty queens, not because they are particulalrly capable, but because they do well in a popularity contest.

[Karhunkoski]

Forgive me for being a bit sceptical, but this is a country that elects to political office people of the calibre of ex-pro wrestlers, rally drivers, and beauty queens, not because they are particulalrly capable, but because they do well in a popularity contest.

And no other country does?

Seb Coe?
Arnold Schwarzenegger?

And as for Vatanen, he's an extremely capable person for a political role.

[bevanrl]

does anyone know what is going to level the playing field and make it easier for international breweries to compete:

>>The start of 2008 will be the first time Finland's breweries compete with international brands on a levelled playing field. This means price competition can be expected among Finnish and international breweries. <<

I haven't noticed anything changing along those lines. is it something to do with the bottle deposits and the so called "bottle pool"?

[sinikala]

2) very few "enjoy" the Nordic social model, the majority of us are paying for it, not enjoying it.

It must be a personal thing (I like the system, that's why I am here). My conscience enjoys looking after those less fortunate than me And I'm even more grateful that because the system gives money to poor people, they don't feel the need to lift the TV from my home to sell down the local ravintola

But we have to agree to disagree Fishy. You described yourself as "greedy" in another thread. I'm neither greedy nor selfish, that's why I am so happy living here in Finland

As I recall I used the word greedy about myself sarcastically in response to an earlier post by someone else... might even have been you.

I can just imagine it at Karhunkoski Towers as you open your payslip and skip for joy at your altruism. Reading your post, others might think you were being smug or self-satisfied... not me though, obviously.

How about the fraction of your tax that keeps Tanja Karpela in wonderbras? Can we all come and huddle round you as you give off your warm saintly glow? At least until they stick the heating on in my building.

[Karhunkoski]

At least until they stick the heating on in my building.

Poor you, have they still not put on your heating.

You must have missed my reply to your earlier post complaining about the lack of toasty toes in your gaff, allow me to refresh....


You see, the way it works is that YOU are part of the housing company and YOU get to vote in matters that affect YOU (such as lack of heating). Now if the housing company has had a vote among its' members, it looks that they've decided THEY don't need the heating turning up. So surely YOU can't expect THEM to subsidise YOUR heating just because YOU want it when clearly THEY don't.

As I said before, I'm extremely surprised that someone who openly admits to not wanting to fund the requirements of others in a society cannot grasp this basic principle