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Conclusion and Implications 193

CONCL USION A N D I M P L IC ATIONS

The purpose of the alcohol monopoly campaigns was to increase people’s under-
standing and positive attitude toward Systembolaget. Campaign results show that
the number of people positive to Systembolaget has increased from 49% before the
2002 campaign to 65% after the 2007 campaign. The campaigns have been success-
ful. The impact of the alcohol monopoly campaigns has been an increase of citi-
zens who are in favor of an alcohol monopoly in Sweden. As long as public opinion
is strong, Systembolaget is not threatened at a national level. It is interesting to no-
tice that among customers, the number of persons who are uncertain about
6
whether they think Systembolaget is good or bad has been 11%, and this has been
a relatively constant share throughout the campaign years. The changes in attitudes
over time are believed to have occurred in steps from negative to uncertain and
from uncertain to positive; in other words, not directly from negative to positive.
The number of negative customers has decreased, but there are still uncertain cus-
tomers to convince about the benefits of Systembolaget.
Systembolaget’s efforts to improve store atmosphere, quality assortment, and
customer service may also have contributed to the customers’ positive attitude to-
ward it. The 2007 campaign result shows that the numbers of frequent customers
(24%) who have become more positive toward Systembolaget are greater than the
noncustomers (13%). Systembolaget was aware of the importance of customer ori-
entation before the monopoly campaigns. Customer orientation has thus been
highlighted over the past years and has resulted in increased customer satisfaction
since 2003. The campaigns may have also contributed to increased customer satis-
faction and that people have become more interested in Systembolaget and visiting
its stores.
Another reason for the increase in positive attitude toward Systembolaget could
be the change in political climate during the past several years. Resistance to the al-
cohol monopoly has decreased both among the public and politicians. Health and
social problems related to alcohol have received more attention lately both in
Sweden and in the EU. In the EU, the cost of alcohol-related harms (e.g., mortality
and absenteeism from work) was estimated to be C =125 billion (approximately
US$156 billion) for 2003, equivalent to 1.3% of gross domestic product (European
Commission, 2006). The spending on alcohol-related problems (e.g., crime, health,
and traffic accidents) was estimated to be C = 66 billion (approximately US$82 billion;

6 The number of customers who are uncertain is calculated based on the number of answers ranked 5
and 6 on a 10-point rating scale. The answers ranged from “Not at all certain” (1) to “Very certain”
(10). The exact question asked was, “How certain is it that you would vote for keeping the alcohol
monopoly of Systembolaget?”