Is Russia Closing the Tab?

Kommersant reported that consumption of vodka and cognac fell by 4% and 10%, respectively, between January and August of this year. The drop comes after a series of measures were implemented to curb alcoholism and its related deaths. 

EGAIS, the government agency that tracks the production and sales of products, said Russia sold 126 million gallons of vodka this year, a 3.97% drop from 2024. Cognac sales decreased to 21 million gallons, an approximately 10% drop. The decrease in consumption is no coincidence. In 2025, taxes on alcohol increased by 15% to R740 ($8.84) per liter. The minimum sales price (MSP) for alcoholic beverages also increased. Vodka's MSP increased by 16% to R349 ($4.17). Cognac's MSP is 17% higher than in 2024, costing at least R641 ($7.65). Alcohol production fell by 15% in the first seven months of 2025.

In April 2024, a federal law came into effect that allowed local authorities in Russian regions to add further restrictions on alcohol sales, including the time and location of purchases. According to the State Duma's Committee on Economic Policy, 63 out of 89 regions and republics adopted new measures to curtail liquor sales. 

On March 1, Vologda Oblast adopted the most restrictive "dry laws" on alcohol sales in Russia. Alcoholic beverages can be sold only between 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays. Vologda saw a drop of 12.76% in vodka sales and 19.53% in cognac purchases. The oblasts of Kamchatka, Kostroma, Murmansk, Kaluga, and Komi, among others, saw decreases of over 5% in vodka and cognac sales. Buryatia revoked 229 stores' alcohol sales licenses for not respecting the new restrictions. However, Ingushetia, Karachay-Cherkessia, and North Ossetia saw over 10% increases in alcohol purchases.

Stellar Group director Alexander Grevtsov told Kommersant that in regions where restrictions are expected to drop, shipments of alcohol have preemptively decreased. Chains are closing stores in residential buildings and looking for new locations. Grevtsov said that companies are still planning for a surge in liquor consumption for the end-of-the-year holidays. 

Yuri Karyakin, the Deputy General Director of Commercial Affairs at alcohol producer Tatspirtprom, said that the restrictions on their products' sales have not impacted their company.

Rosalkogoltobakkontrol, the government agency that regulates alcohol and tobacco markets, said that restrictions have mainly affected retail outlets but not liquor consumption itself. There are no statistics on how many alcoholic beverages are being purchased illegally.