Russia has produced a record volume of alcohol over the past eight years

In 2024, the volume of production of all alcoholic beverages increased by 9.5% compared to 2023 and amounted to 10.1 billion liters, which is a record for the last eight years. For example, in 2017, manufacturers produced 9.54 billion liters. Wines showed the greatest dynamics last year, production in this category increased by 14%, grape wines increased by 8.6%, sparkling wines — by 24.7%, liqueur wines — by almost 30%. Such data is contained in the draft final report of Rosalokoltabakkontrol (RATK), which was reviewed by Izvestia.

I don't want to: retail alcohol sales in Russia decreased by almost 15%

The reduction affected almost all types of drinks.

The second position in terms of positive dynamics was occupied by fermented beverages — beer and its derivatives, as well as cider and mead, which added 12%. This is followed by strong alcohol — vodka, cognac, whiskey, rum and others, the volume of which increased by 8%. Interestingly, according to the results of last year, in the category of "weak alcohol" (for example, alcoholic cocktails), production dropped by more than half (-56%), which is due to a triple increase in the excise tax on it from May 1, 2024.

Simultaneously with the growth of alcohol production, there is also a tendency to increase its legal retail sales, which is interrelated, the RATK document says.

"Several factors influence the positive dynamics at once: the process of import substitution continues. The falling volumes of foreign alcohol are replaced by products of domestic production. Plus, the domestic tourism market is actively developing, as well as sales of alcoholic beverages on holidays and during the holidays. Moreover, it is worth considering that the population of the Russian Federation has increased due to the inclusion of new regions in the country, which has an impact on the market," the service noted in the draft report.

The RATK added to Izvestia that production and retail sales volumes are growing amid a decrease in the share of illegal products on the market.

Read more in the exclusive Izvestia article:

Poured to the brim: Russia has produced a record volume of alcohol over the past eight years