Nordic Alcohol Monopolies As Comprehensive Model For Preventing Alcohol Harm

Nordic Alcohol Monopolies As Comprehensive Model For Preventing Alcohol Harm

With this episode of the Alcohol Issues Podcast we bring you a special discussion of a special alcohol policy topic: how the Nordic alcohol retail monopolies work and why they are so successful.

This is a special discussion because for the longest time, there was a gap between the public health success of the Nordic alcohol retail monopolies and public attention to that success.

But this is changing and with this episode we’re discussing a brand new report that compiles latest evidence about nordic alcohol monopolies as comprehensive model for preventing alcohol harm.

We bring you an inside view of the working and effects of the nordic alcohol retail monopolies together with an esteemed guest: Maria Renström.

We recorded this conversation on February 10, 2025.

Highlights of the show

In today’s show, Maria and host Maik Dünnbier discuss some highlights of her career and how this informs her current work in Sweden and for WHO. They dive deep into the new WHO Europe report "Nordic alcohol monopolies: understanding their role in a comprehensive alcohol policy structure and public health significance", why it is relevant now, what the report finds, and what its recommendations are.

Maria explains how the Nordic alcohol retail monopolies work, their key features, and how they are different from private, profit-driven models of alcohol retail. Maria and Maik also talk about the public support and look into the future.

Our guest

Maria Renström is one of the lead authors of WHO Europe’s new report on the Nordic alcohol monopolies.

In her illustrious career, with a background in socialogy, Maria has worked at all levels of government: city of Stockholm, ministry of health and social affiars in Sweden, European Commission, World Health Organization, where she has had different roles and responsibilities over the years.

She has been one of the decisive leaders for the adoption of the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy in 2010, the EU Alcohol Strategy in 2006, and the commitment for Sweden to maintain its alcohol retail monopoly when joining the EU 30 years ago.

Resources for the episode

• WHO/Europe highlights Nordic alcohol monopolies as a comprehensive model for alcohol harm prevention,
• Nordic alcohol monopolies: understanding their role in a comprehensive alcohol policy structure and public health significance (PDF),
• UN News: Nordic alcohol monopolies are reducing alcohol consumption, and
• Reducing alcohol consumption, the Nordic way: alcohol monopolies, marketing bans and higher taxation.

Feedback

Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo.

You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too.

About The Alcohol Issues Podcast

The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production from Movendi International. It’s a show about latest alcohol policy developments, brand new research, and stories that reveal the predatory practices of the alcohol industry. We bring you in-depth conversations with trail-blazing alcohol policy makers, visionary community activists, and leading scientists. We do it all to reshape how the world thinks about alcohol’s impact on society and the benefits of alcohol policy action.