Per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages in Iceland 2010-2020

The volume of alcohol consumed in Iceland rose overall in recent years, despite a decrease of nearly 0.25 liters per person between 2018 and 2019. In 2010, the volume of alcoholic beverages consumed amounted to 6.77 liters per person. Ten years later, the per capita consumption volume had grown to 7.4 liters. Simultaneously, the household consumption expenditure on alcohol in Iceland increased as well. As of 2020, households spent on average roughly 46 billion Icelandic krónur on alcoholic beverages.

 Vínbúðin

In all the Nordic countries except Denmark, alcoholic beverages are only available in government-owned store chains. Vínbúðin in Iceland is one of the oldest government regulated alcoholic beverage retailing chains in Northern Europe. It is operated by the State Alcohol and Tobacco Company of Iceland, ÁTVR. Alcohol sales made up for the largest share of the company’s operating revenue in 2020. That year, the value amounted to 35 billion Icelandic krónur, in contrast to only ten billion krónur generated with tobacco sales.  

 Favorite alcoholic beverages 

Beer sales accounted for the largest shares of total liters sold by Vínbúðin stores in Iceland. In 2020, beer had a share of roughly 77 percent, whereas light and fortified wines (wine with up to 22 percent of alcohol) made up nearly 18 percent of sales. By comparison, wine with an alcohol percentage of more than 22 percent was sold even less.