The grey market for alcohol on social media in Sweden

Aims In recent years, a grey market has emerged in Sweden where teenagers use social media to obtain alcohol. This market has not yet been explored qualitatively. The present study addresses this gap by examining how social media is used to illicitly trade alcohol. Methods First, a netnographic approach involved systematically searching for and documenting social media accounts offering alcohol. Second, 33 in-depth, app-based textual interviews were conducted with 16 sellers and 17 buyers who had engaged in illicit alcohol transactions. Responses were thematically analysed within a critical realist framework, capturing experiential (explicit), inferential (inductive) and dispositional (retroductive) themes. Results Snapchat is the preferred platform due to its popularity among youths, ephemeral messaging features and recommendation algorithms. Sellers typically source smuggled alcohol in bulk to maintain competitive prices. Underage buyers cite ease of access, speed and convenience as main motivations. Risk perceptions differ as sellers worry primarily about arrest offline and platform bans online, whereas buyers fear personal victimisation during face-to-face exchanges. Conclusions Restriction-generated markets and platformisation sustain illicit alcohol markets. Strict regulations inadvertently shape the market's demand by denying legal access to underage individuals’ desire for alcohol. Simultaneously, the design of Snapchat facilitates rapid, anonymous connections and exchanges. The findings underscore a need for policymakers and practitioners to consider how social media amplifies underage alcohol consumption risks.