Swedes have been keeping the heat in check by upping their beer intake.
Beer sales skyrocketed during July’s heatwave, with the state-owned alcohol retail monopoly Systembolaget’s sales of beer rising by 8.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
Cider and mixed drinks sales rose by 12.5 percent. Overall, Systembolaget’s sales of pure alcohol rose by 6.1 percent in July.
Until now, beer sales this year have risen by 4 percent while overall sales have risen by 3 percent.
Sweden's state-run alcohol chain Systembolaget has advised customers not to buy its spirits as a substitute for hand sanitiser.
One of the best ways of avoiding the new coronavirus and prevent its spread is to wash your hands often with soap and water, according to the Swedish Public Healh Agency.
If you don't have access to soap or running water, hand sanitiser is the next best option, but the product has been flying off the shelves as shoppers try to get their hands on a bottle.
Sweden's state-owned alcohol chain Systembolaget has been forced to put up signs in several of its stores informing customers that alcohol such as vodka and gin does not work as a substitute for hand sanitiser.
“NOT HAND SANITISER,” read the signs.
De flesta tycks ha koll på skillnaden mellan handsprit och vodka men bra att förekomma eventuella missuppfattningar: Systembolaget skyltar om att vodka inte fungerar som handsprit: ”Flertal frågar” https://t.co/tBpy8w5sa7
— Paula Eriksson (@ErikssonPaula) March 26, 2020
“We have had a few questions from customers and have put up signs in those stores,” said Systembolaget press officer Therese Elmgren.
“But it is not possible, just as the signs say. The percentage (of alcohol) needs to be higher.”
An alcohol concentration of at least 60 percent is needed for disinfectant to be effective in killing viruses or bacteria. Absolut Vodka, to use an example of a popular Swedish vodka brand, has an alcohol concentration of 40 percent.
However, some of the ingredients are the same, and during the coronavirus crisis Absolut has adapted parts of its manufacturing in order to produce pure alcohol which can be used for cleaning purposes, instead of vodka for consumption. This pure alcohol then needs to be mixed with gel, manufactured separately, to create usable sanitiser for the healthcare sector.
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