With its ultra strict policies banning any sort of promotional activities by alcohol brand owners that could possibly incite consumers to drink more I can’t help but smile when the Systembolaget embarks on its annual Christmas beer clear-out by dumping prices to encourage quick sales.
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It might smack of hypocrisy but it does result in some great deals for beer lovers who like to plan their drinking a year or more ahead. As Christmas beers in general are higher in alcohol than other seasonal brews they often benefit from aging, so there’s no danger of bottles of Christmas ale you buy now going bad before next Christmas. Indeed many of them will only get better and some can keep on improving for many years to come.
So while you’re out shopping to exchange all those spikemattor for something actually useful why not pop into the Systembolaget and pick up a real bargin. Hurry though. This offer’s only good while stocks last!
Well, it’s actually the importers who ”dump” the prices to avoid having stocks of x-mas beers. But SB gives the importers the opportunity.
True, but as the SB can return any Christmas beers that haven’t been sold to the importers this is really only the decent thing to do, don’t you think? It’s pretty much a win-win for the SB whatever happens and also a win for the consumer of course. Just poor old importers like you Richard that take most of the risk
And the price cut is pretty significant.
Mikkeller’s excellent Fra Via Till (worth aging this one!) is reduced from 79.90 to 63.90 – 20% discount.
Ayinger Winter-Bock (a great beer you can still keep drinking until it starts to warm up, which here in Umeå is around July) is reduced from 29.90 to 23.90 – 20% discount
Mr Sno’balls – a ‘Christmas’ beer that I think would make a great summer thirst quencher – down from 24.90 to 19.90 – 20% discount
SB reduces all remaining seasonal beers with 20%. this has nothing to do with the importers. Good for the consumer as you say.
Thanks for the info – I didn’t realise it was a blanket 20% reduction. Good news!
I think there is much less Christmas beer ”leftovers” this year…