The Finnish Parliament approved a 10 percent increase in alcohol tax on Monday and alcohol prices in Finland will rise by an average of 4.5 percent from the beginning of October this year.

Prices of spirits are to increase the most, by 7 percent on average. Beer prices are to go up by 3.5 percent and those of wines by a little more than 3 percent.

According to the Finnish government, raising alcohol tax is expected to decrease domestic alcohol consumption by around 2 percent. Apart from that, the Finnish government is estimated to get an increase in tax revenue of 15 million euros (about 20.78 million U.S. dollars) in 2009 and 70 million euros in 2010. (1 U.S. dollar = 0.7220 euros)