Vaskning
{{short description|Act of pouring champagne into a sink}}
{{Italic title}}
{{lang|sv|Vaskning}} ({{lit|Sinking}}) is the act of pouring out champagne in the sink. Sinking probably started in Sweden as "a reaction to the ban on spraying champagne in many bars" and the sinking is usually done by a person ordering two bottles of champagne and asking the bartender to pour out (sink) one of them.Johan Åkesson, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110217152130/http://www.dn.se/livsstil/reportage/vaskning-ar-bratsens-provokation "Vaskning är bratsens provokation" (Eng. ”Sinking is the brats’ provocation”)], Dagens Nyheter, 2 August 2010 The term "sinking" is a translation of the Swedish term {{Lang|swe|vaskning}}, derived from {{Lang|swe|vask}}, which means "sink".Walter Naeslund, [http://walternaeslund.com/sinking-%E2%80%93-the-next-big-swedish-viral-export/ "Sinking - The Next Big Swedish Viral Export"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901222534/http://walternaeslund.com/sinking-%E2%80%93-the-next-big-swedish-viral-export/ |date=2011-09-01 }}, 14 September 2010
Background
In 2007 and 2010 respectively, bars in the Swedish cities of Båstad and Visby, popular party destinations for the wealthy youth, banned the spraying of champagne.Kajsa Sundberg, [http://www.helagotland.se/nyheter/artikel.aspx?articleid=6136195 "Slut utan prut på champagnesprut" (Eng. "End without much ado on champagne spraying")] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006162751/http://www.helagotland.se/nyheter/artikel.aspx?articleid=6136195 |date=2011-10-06 }}, Hela Gotland, 13 July 2010 The ban referred to champagne spraying possibly violating the law's requirement on servers of alcohol to maintain good order.Jens Andersson, [http://sverigesradio.se/sida/play.aspx?ljud=2493952, "Frågetecken kring champagnesprut" (Eng. "Question marks around champagne spraying")], Sveriges Radio Gotland, 19 July 2010[http://www.notisum.se/rnp/sls/lag/19941738.htm "Alkohollagen 6 kap 2 §" (Eng. "Alcohol law 6. chapter 2. §"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213194358/http://www.notisum.se/rnp/sls/lag/19941738.htm |date=2014-02-13 }}, Notisum, collected 24 April 2011 The ban caused some people to sink the champagne instead, while others chose to buy more expensive champagne.Josefine Hökerberg, [http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article12409512.ab "Vaskning – myt eller trend?" (Eng. "Sinking – myth or trend")], Aftonbladet, 30 July 2010
According to Marie Söderqvist, CEO of the analysis company United Minds and author of the book Status – vägen till lycka (Eng. Status – the road to happiness), sinking is not just a protest against the ban on spraying champagne: "One gives the finger to everything – bans, global justice, saving the planet and equality."
Spread and media attention
Sinking has been the subject of articles by national newspapers like Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheter, but it is unclear how much sinking actually occurs. In a survey among barkeepers in Båstad, Stockholm, and Visby, one of them said they get "approximately one serious sinking request per night," while others claimed sinking was a myth.
Sinking has also been the theme of a music video by Kakan och Julia featured on Swedish Public Television.Kakan och Julia, [http://svtplay.se/v/2157987 "Champagnevaskning" (Eng. "Champagne sinking")] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311213130/http://svtplay.se/v/2157987 |date=2012-03-11 }}, Sveriges Television, 22 September 2010
Variants of the phenomenon have reportedly taken place, such as hamburger dumping (purchasing a large number of hamburgers at a fast food restaurant, and throwing all but one into the trash).{{cite news| url = http://www.aftonbladet.se/sommarisverige/article12407312.ab| title = "Hamburger-dumpning" – den nya trenden i Visby}}