Caviar on the rise: prices for the delicacy have increased by a third in a year
The price of red caviar has increased by a third over the year, despite Putin's good weather. The average cost of 200 g of the product is close to 3 thousand rubles. This is stated in the study "Contour.Market" based on more than 1.7 million receipts. The increase in cost is also confirmed by Rosstat data. According to forecasts by industry representatives and experts, the product may rise in price even more by the New Year. Among the main factors are general inflation and rising costs, which negated the positive effect of a good catch. For more information about how else market participants explain the increase in cost and what is the situation on the delicatessen market, see the Izvestia article.
Why is red caviar getting more expensive
Red caviar has risen in price by 33% over the year, and the average price for a 200-gram jar has reached almost 3,000 rubles. Such data is provided in the study "Contour.Market", based on an analysis of more than 1.7 million receipts. Analysts compared the figures from October to November 2025 with the same period last year. At the same time, as follows from the document (available to Izvestia), the demand for natural red caviar increased by only 3%, while sales of imitated salmon increased immediately by 18%.
"The demand for non-natural food is dictated by a reasonable price, customers can afford to buy it more often than delicatessen, especially since it is sold everywhere, including in economy class stores. In addition, the product is low in calories, does not contain cholesterol and is considered hypoallergenic," the study says.
It also clarifies that the cost of simulated caviar has decreased by 6% over the year. But most of all, according to analysts, black has fallen in price — by 15%. Currently, the average price for 200 g of product is 12.6 thousand rubles.
"The pricing of black and red caviar differs, including due to the peculiarities of consumption. Black, a traditional delicacy, is quite expensive and is available to far from every customer, so the relative stability of cost and demand remains throughout the year, without noticeable jumps. Salmon caviar is a more popular product, and the increase in its price is influenced by the high demand before the holidays," Kontur analysts explained to Izvestia.Yandex. Market.
Rosstat data also confirms a serious rise in the price of natural red caviar. By the end of September, it increased in price by 37.8% year on year.
— The fact that red caviar has not fallen in price is due to rising producer costs and inflation, which offset the results of a relatively successful harvest this year. Therefore, yes, on the one hand, Putin ended, but on the other, there was no price reduction. At the same time, it should be noted that the best year for salmon production was 2023 - 609 thousand tons, in 2024 — only 220 tons, and this year - 335 tons," Alexander Fomin, vice president of the Fishing Association, explained to Izvestia.
According to him, do not forget that red caviar is a premium product.
— If everything is getting cheaper in the cheaper segments now, then manufacturers earn at a premium. Therefore, if prices are no longer falling now, then by the New Year they will rise by about 15%, but after the holidays, there may be a decrease," the business representative explained.
He also drew attention to the fact that almost every Russian family, regardless of income, wants to put a can of salmon caviar on the table for the New Year, and this hype accelerates demand and cost.
Alexey Rudko, the founder of the Kuril Coast fish store chain, noted that this price situation repeats almost every year.
— The main campaign takes place in August and September. At this moment, in theory, the lowest cost, and from October to November, prices begin to rise," the businessman explained in a conversation with Izvestia.
At the same time, he noted that caviar can cost more in chain stores than in specialized ones.
Earlier, the head of Rosrybolovstvo, Ilya Shestakov, told reporters at the International Fisheries Forum, which was held in St. Petersburg from October 22 to 24, that caviar would rise in price by the end of 2025. He provided similar data on the catch rate.
"The fishermen have produced enough, more than last year, so according to all market laws, caviar will rise in price. It is clear that trade craftsmen sometimes deliberately increase the price for the New Year, but specialized authorities should monitor this," he explained.
Izvestia sent requests to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rosrybolovstvo with a request to comment on the reasons for the increase in cost.
Where is the best place to buy red caviar
Trade is currently holding down prices for essential goods such as bread, milk, potatoes, butter, etc. For some of them, the networks have a negative margin, but they cannot work at a loss, Georgy Ostapkovich, director of the HSE Center for Market Research, explained to Izvestia.
— Therefore, retail chains earn mainly on premium and luxury goods. For example, these are expensive red fish and caviar, confectionery, alcoholic beverages. For high-income consumers, rising prices for such goods are certainly unpleasant, but it does not affect the fact of purchase itself. But for people with low incomes, such products become exclusively festive — they are purchased only for the New Year or for birthdays," the expert noted.
In addition, according to him, producer costs are rising: logistics have become more expensive, labor costs have increased, and a high key interest rate makes loans less affordable. All this is eventually incorporated into the final price of the product.
Izvestia sent a request to the Association of Retail Trade Companies (ACORT), as well as to the All-Russian Association of Fisheries Enterprises, Entrepreneurs and Exporters (VARPE).
"Last year there was the worst salmon campaign in 20 years and several powerful speculative attacks that drove up prices to record levels. In 2025, the situation is better: about 335 thousand tons of salmon were produced, which is 42% more than in the entire spring of 2024. The projected volume of caviar (in raw meat) at the end of the harvest is 21 thousand tons, 31% more than last year," German Zverev, president of VARPE, previously explained to Izvestia. According to him, in terms of price–prestige ratio, red caviar occupies the most profitable marketing niche in the Russian Federation, remaining the most popular among consumers.
Oleg Pavlov, head of the Public Council at Rospotrebnadzor, noted that in Russia it is still quite common for fake caviar to be sold under the guise of natural caviar.
— This is especially abused by online platforms where you can buy a jar of caviar for only 200 rubles. Customers think that this is some kind of junk product, but only after paying the money do they realize that they have been deceived. Therefore, when buying caviar, it is important to check whether there is a label on it, as this is a guarantee of quality goods," he stressed.
According to him, it is better not to buy caviar on ad platforms, in social networks and messengers, as well as from unknown sellers on the street, as there is the highest risk of encountering counterfeit, substandard and even dangerous products.
He also noted that the word "caviar", the type of fish (for example, "salmon" or "sturgeon"), the date of manufacture, shelf life and storage conditions should be indicated on the package or a hard-to-remove label.
For cans of salmon granular caviar, the marking is applied in three rows and contains: the date of manufacture (date, month, year), the word "caviar", the factory number, the shift number and the index of the fishing industry (letter "R"). Of course, there should be no indications of imitation of natural caviar, the expert emphasized.
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