NORWAY: Beer drives Vinmonopolet sales in February

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 27 March 2008

Vinmonopolet has recorded a healthy rise in sales in February.

The Norwegian alcohol retail monopoly said yesterday (26 March) that sales last month were up 11.4% year-on-year in volume terms, reaching 5.3m litres. For the first two months of 2008, alcohol sales at Vinmonopolet increased 8.9% on 2007, coming in at 9.8m litres.

While wine and spirits sales rose by 11.9% and 10.3% respectively in February, sales of beer improved more markedly, up 14.5% to 0.03m litres.

Vinmonopolet moved away from wholesale alcohol sales in 1996 to concentrate solely on retail in the company. The split came about to adhere to a European Economic Area agreement in 1994.

Sectors: Beer & cider, Spirits, Wine