Alcohol – The Cash Cow

Caption: The nations’ earnings from alcohol-related activities during 2009-2014. Next to the yearly number is an indication to whether the nation’s sales has increased or decreased. In 2012, Göteborg nation handed in identical restaurant reports for both their licenses, thereof the divergence.
Graphics: Filip Rydén

32 million Swedish kronor. That is how much the nations’ alcohol activities turned over last year – a reduction of over half a million kronor from the year before.

The alcohol-related activities are real cash cows for the nations. Last year the nations’ alcohol-related activities, i.e. the night club food, sittningar, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, turned over 32 100 821 kronor. The number comes from the restaurant reports that the nations themselves hand in to the Public Health Agency of Sweden. It is a reduction of more than 575 000 kronor compared to 2013.

Annika Landfors, head of the permit unit in Lund Municipality, is one of the people who inspect the restaurant report. She does not know what caused the sales reduction.

“We have recieved fewer complaints regarding the student nations, which might mean that they have gotten better at not serving alcohol to overly intoxicated people”, says Annika Landfors.   

But since 2009, the year before the compulsory membership of student unions was abolished, the alcohol sales have increased. With regards to the inflation, alcohol was sold for almost 400 000 kronor more in 2014 than in 2009.

Malmö nation in the lead
Turning over the most is Malmö nation, where alcohol brought in 4 477 235 kronor last year. Closely behind is Göteborg nation, with sales of 3 882 030 kronor and Östgöta nation with 3 852 539 kronor.

But not all make money in the millions. Wermland nation turned over 533 955 kronor last year, and Småland nation’s club and pub activities combined turned over 665 986 kronor.

Click here to see the big version matrix of all the nations’ alcohol sales

• READ MORE: “The Nations’ Biggest Source of Income Is the Night Clubs”

But who orders the largest quantity of hard liquor, wine and beer?

Which nation orders the largest quantity of strong beer?

1. Västgöta nation – 13 263 litres
2. Helsingkrona nation – 12 832 litres
3. Östgöta nation – 12 728 litres

Which nation orders the largest quantity of wine?

1. Lund nation – 3016 litres
2. Västgöta nation – 2710 litres
3. Göteborg nation – 2532 litres

Which nation orders the largest quantity of hard liquor?

1. Malmö nation – 2018 litres
2. Göteborg nation – 1908 litres
3. Östgöta nation – 1265 litres

Text: Carl-Johan Kullving
Translation: Emily Eriksson