New survey: Summer drinkers are the most eager to return to everyday routines

Karolina Dahlbeck Nobel

12.08.2026 - A new Swedish survey finds that alcohol plays a significant role in many people’s summer routines, particularly among frequent drinkers. At the same time, those who most strongly associate alcohol with summer are also among those most relieved to return to their normal routines.

Summer holidays are coming to an end, and for many Swedes the holiday period has gone hand in hand with alcohol. Among people who strongly associate alcohol with summer, six in ten say they are glad to return to their everyday routines, according to a new survey commissioned by Systembolaget.

Alcohol consumption in Sweden tends to be higher during the summer than during the rest of the year. Among respondents who drank several times a week during the summer, alcohol was much more often associated with relaxation, socialising, reward and the feeling of summer.

“We see a duality in attitudes towards alcohol during the summer. Those who most strongly associate alcohol with the feeling of summer are also those who most welcome the return to everyday life. They are also more likely to say that it is difficult to break the drinking patterns established during the summer. Returning to normal routines can provide a natural reset and an opportunity to reflect on alcohol consumption,” says Karolina Dahlbeck Nobel, public health expert at Systembolaget.

Men and people with higher education drink more frequently

Among highly educated men, almost half, 47%, report drinking alcohol several times a week or daily during the summer. The corresponding figure among highly educated women is 37%.

The association between alcohol and the feeling of summer is strongest among men who drink several times a week or every day. In this group, 62% say that some summer situations feel emptier without alcohol, while 31% say alcohol is essential for creating the right summer feeling.

“Looking forward to returning to everyday routines can be about more than simply going back to work. But if alcohol continues to occupy the same amount of space, it may be worth reflecting on your habits. Research suggests that men may wait longer before seeking support for alcohol problems,” says Anders Hammarberg, licensed psychotherapist at Stockholm Centre for Dependency Disorders and associate professor of clinical addiction research at Karolinska Institutet.

Tips for changing drinking habits as everyday life resumes

Systembolaget and the experts behind the material suggest several practical ways to use the return to everyday routines as an opportunity to reconsider alcohol habits.

The first step is to get a clearer picture of how much alcohol you actually drink. Recording consumption for a period of time in an app, calendar or phone notes can make patterns easier to recognise.

Setting a clear goal can also help. Decide what you want your drinking to look like and write the goal down as concretely as possible.

Planning ahead can make behavioural change easier. Possible strategies include alternating alcoholic and alcohol-free drinks, drinking more slowly and delaying the first alcoholic drink of the day, even when others start earlier.

The beginning of autumn can also be used as a fresh start for other activities. Simply trying to do less of something can be difficult without replacing it with something else. Finding enjoyable activities that do not involve alcohol can therefore make change easier.

Key findings

Four in ten respondents, 39%, say alcohol is a way of marking the difference between holidays or weekends and everyday life.

Almost one in three, 28%, say some summer situations feel emptier without alcohol.

Among men who drink frequently, 62% say certain summer situations feel emptier without alcohol, and 31% say alcohol is essential to creating the right feeling of summer.

Among frequently drinking men, 42% say alcohol helps them relax and let go of everyday demands and routines.

Among highly educated men, 47% drink several times a week or daily during the summer, compared with 33% of the population overall.

---

About the survey

Systembolaget commissioned Demoskop to examine Swedes’ relationship with alcohol during the summer. The survey was conducted between 8 and 13 July 2026 and included 1,274 interviews with people aged over 20.

For people in Sweden who are concerned about their own or someone else’s drinking, support is available through Alkoholhjälpen and Sweden’s 1177 healthcare information service.