The ongoing discussion in the public space about small formats of spirit drinks encourages us to look not only at specific numbers, but also to recall that Polish consumers consume the most alcohol in beer (55% of all alcohol consumed, 93l per capita per year). The Association of Employers of the Polish Spirits Industry informs that beer is the most frequently purchased alcohol in the morning, i.e. between 5.00 a.m. and 12.00 p.m.
– This allows us to conclude that further increases in the price of alcohol in small packages will not bring the expected changes and will only increase the risk that customers will even more often reach for alcohol from illegal sources or more affordable alcohol – says the industry.
Small formats of spirit drinks. Sales data
Poles consume most of their alcohol in beer (55%), followed by spirits (37%) and wine (8%). Daily sales of small formats of spirit drinks in all capacities of 90 ml, 100 ml and 200 ml amount to 1.3 million, of which approximately 410,000 in the morning hours alone. pieces, i.e. 31 percent daily sales.
– For comparison, Poles buy 9.4 million cans or bottles of beer every day, including 1.1 million packages of strong beer, of which almost 2.6 million pieces of beer in the morning hours alone, i.e. from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m., is almost 2.6 million pieces of beer – which gives 31 percent daily sales. Looking only at strong beers, it is over 402,000. pieces, which gives 37 percent daily sales. Almost every third can of beer bought before noon is a "strong" can. Sales of beer in the morning are almost twice as high as sales of alcohol in small sizes – informs the association.
He adds that the fact that beer is the most frequently consumed alcoholic beverage in Poland and its sales even in the morning are higher than that of spirits is due to many factors. Firstly, from advertising, which presents beer as a symbol of relaxation and good fun, which is why Poles often do not perceive beer as alcohol at all. A half-liter can or bottle of lager beer contains exactly the same amount of alcohol as 100 ml of 28% alcohol, i.e. 22 grams.
Today, the excise tax on spirits is three times higher than on beer
The second important factor is price. Beer is currently the most economically affordable alcohol for consumers. Small packages of spirit drinks, with a capacity of up to 300 ml, are the least affordable of all types of alcohol. This difference results primarily from disproportions in excise duties.
Excise duty on spirits is currently three times higher than for beer and is expected to continue to increase over the next few years, according to the Excise Road Map. The spirits industry not only pays much higher excise duty, but also pays an additional fee on small volumes of alcoholic beverages in packages up to 300 ml, which adds an additional zloty to the price of a 100 ml bottle of 40%. drink.
– Increasingly higher excise tax rates for the spirits industry, as well as constantly rising production costs, translate into higher and higher prices of legal alcohol, making it less and less available to consumers. The industry is already seeing sales declines as a result of the above. Since the introduction of the Excise Road Map, i.e. an annual increase in excise duty, the spirits industry has been recording a decline in the market: 8%. in 2022, 10 percent in 2023 and another 10 percent in the first quarter of 20242. Sales of legal strong alcohol in all sizes are falling, and some purchases have moved to the gray zone due to high prices of spirits – reports the Association of Employers of the Polish Spirits Industry.
According to the report "Grey Zone 2024" by the Institute of Economic Forecasts and Analyzes, the value of illegal sales of high-proof alcohol in 2023 generated approximately PLN 1.3 billion in losses for the state budget due to unpaid taxes. Forecasts for 2024 indicate the possibility of further increase in losses, which may reach approximately PLN 1 billion.
– If the state wants to actively implement a policy of reducing alcohol consumption as a stimulant that negatively affects public health, the right way to do so is not by raising the price of the most expensive alcohol, i.e. that sold in small packages, but by changing the approach to excise duty giving priority to the cheapest and most available alcohol, i.e. beer. These are spirits, they generate 72%. revenues from excise duty on alcohol, while beer – 25%. In this discussion, we forget that beer, vodka, wine and whiskey contain exactly the same ethyl alcohol and its content should be the basis for excise taxation for the entire industry – says Emilia Rabenda, president of the Association of Employers of the Polish Spirits Industry.
