In the Feed and in the Glass: Celebrity alcohol marketing in Sweden
AlcoholFarida al-Abani & Kerstin Janemar, The Swedish society for temperance and adult education Published 29 Oct 2025
In recent years, Sweden has seen a sharp rise in celebrities promoting alcoholic beverages, often through social media channels with vast audiences. The trend raises concerns about public health, consumer protection, and the ethics of alcohol marketing. Written by Farida al-Abani and Kerstin Janemar, this article explores the growing intersection of celebrity-driven alcohol promotion and its implications for public health and responsible advertising. It draws on insights from Nocturum’s 2025 report, “Proud Collaborations or Unethical Advertising.”
The Swedish artist Måns Zelmerlöw describes his wine as “very easy to drink,” a statement that, while vague, has helped his brand sell over 76 million SEK worth of wine in 2024 alone. Other notable figures including Leif GW Persson, Pernilla Wahlgren, Petter, Miss Li and Laila Bagge have similarly placed their names on products available at Systembolaget, Sweden’s alcohol retail monopoly. The report, released in June 2025 found that 14 Swedish celebrities collectively generated over 600 million SEK in alcohol sales during 2024.
Most of these promotions take place on social media-platforms that largely fall outside the effective reach of current consumer protection laws and Swedish advertising regulations. In 2024, the Swedish consumer agency initiated only two investigations into alcohol-related advertising. The agency has also noted that many celebrities and influencers frequently fail to comply with marketing laws on social media, where sponsored content is often not clearly labeled as advertising.
Celebrity influences and public opinion
While enjoying alcohol in moderation is a personal choice, public health concerns arise when celebrities with large followings endorse alcoholic products. Alcohol remains one of the most harmful and addictive substances, and exposure to promotional content can normalize its consumption among both adults and young people. A striking example of this trend is the brand Fröken Snusk, which launched a wine featuring a buttplug-shaped cork – illustrating how far marketing strategies may go in challenging ethical and legal boundaries.
Public opinion reflects the increasing unease about such marketing practises. In a 2025 Novus survey commissioned by Nocturum, 64 per cent of respondents described celebrity alcohol advertising as unethical, 60 per cent viewed it as harmful, and 62 per cent supported a complete ban. These attitudes may be influenced by the prevalence of alcohol-related problems in Sweden, where approximately two million adults know someone who drinks excessively, and around 320,000 children grow up in homes affected by alcohol issues.
Swedes back ban on alcohol ads
Experts argue that celebrity endorsements of alcohol blur the line between lifestyle marketing and public health risk. While Swedish regulations prohibit alcohol advertising that is misleading or targets minors, enforcement remains limited on digital platforms, allowing promotions to reach audiences at all hours via social media.
Medical and public health researchers recommend stricter regulation of alcohol advertising, especially on digital platforms, and call on politicians to consider the potential harm associated with promoting addictive substances. Countries such as Norway and Lithuania, which have implemented stricter bans on digital alcohol marketing, are cited as potential models for Sweden to follow.
Ultimately, reducing exposure to alcohol advertising is essential to prevent early initiation and long-term health risks. Both celebrities and policymakers share responsibility for ensuring that marketing practices align with public health priorities.
Results from the public opinion survey
- Exposure: 33 % have seen a celebrity/influencer promote alcohol at least once in the past month, 8% several times a week.
- Attitude: 60 % are negative toward celebrities promoting alcohol on social media, only 3 % are positive.
- Ethics: 83 % consider celebrity promotions of gambling unethical, 75 % for tobacco, 64 % for alcohol, and 56 % for nicotine products.
- Alcohol ban support: 62 % support a total ban on alcohol advertising in Sweden, 13 % oppose.
- Responsibility: 27 % think social media platforms bear the main responsibility for protecting youth from alcohol advertising, followed by parents (25 %) and politicians (18 %).
The article is written by
Farida al-Abani, General secretary The Swedish society for temperance and adult education
Kerstin Janemar, Operations Manager for the Nocturum Think Tank
on the request of PopNAD
