Absolut hypocrisy
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Sweden’s state-owned alcohol company Absolut has been forced to withdraw an ad in Germany because of its less-than-subtle reference to Herbertstrasse, the focal point for Hamburg’s sex trade.
Alcohol has always been linked to sex in advertising. Prostitution is legal in Germany. The ad was cheeky and inoffensive. So what’s the problem?
The problem is that Absolut is owned by Vin & Sprit, which is owned by the Swedish state. And the Swedish state is emphatically opposed to prostitution and the exploitation of women in advertising. Indeed, before the World Cup last summer, Sweden’s equality ombudsman Claes Borgström went so far as to suggest that the Swedish team should boycott the tournament because of prostitution in Germany.
The state’s ownership of Vin & Sprit is an anomaly that cannot continue. The double standards of a government owning a booze firm (not to mention the retailer Systembolaget) can no longer be covered up by vague references to concern for the nation’s health.
The Reinfeldt government is planning a series of privatisations. Vin & Sprit must be in the first round of sell-offs to put an end to this Absolut hypocrisy.
December 31st, 2009 at 1:23 am
Systembolaget is an environmental hazard.
As beer wine and spirits cannot be bought anywhere other than systembolaget in Sweden, people make two trips in their exhaust spewing vehicles, one to the supermarket and one to the systemo.
At closing time weekends cars swarm around most liquor stores in Sweden to get parked allowing their owners to buy booze before closing. This unecessary trafik creates CO fumes that pollute residential environments all over Sweden.
Inside the shop there is absolut vodka, sorry I mean absolute chaos, stressed people pushing and shoving to get their ration before it´s sold out as many popular brands do, before bank holidays. My favourite champagne shelf was empty today and it´s only the day before New Year´s Eve.
To an outsider, this all seems a bit sick, but an indoctrinated Swede doesn´t blink an eyelid.
In a nearby park or green the local alki´s have congregated to get completly sloshed and harass the locals for coins “har du en spänn?”, you can find groups of them close by, every systembolag in the country, they´re disgusting.
I have bought a double portion of booze in fear that unexpected guests will arrive when it´s closed.
The systemo also cheats on the international market by creating unfair competition, as we know monopolies are banned in Europe, in Italy they are called Maffia´s
No, really the systembolaget would be alright if the state would just allow ordinary shops to sell beer wine and spirits at normal shopping times and locally so we can all relax and do our shopping when, where and how we want to.