Fill the containers: how to distinguish high-quality alcohol from a substitute
The Russian Interior Ministry has identified signs of counterfeit alcohol. Among them: the lack of a liter at the bottom of the bottle, the poor quality of the labels and counter labels, the non-standard method of application and typos in the labeling of the caps. Experts complement the picture and note that the market is becoming more and more masked and difficult to recognize. According to them, control over counterfeit trade remains weak, which means that consumers are still at risk for their health. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.
How to distinguish fake alcohol
In its new recommendations, the Russian Interior Ministry draws attention to several identifying signs of illegal alcohol. Among them, there is a lack of information about the liter at the bottom of the bottle, poor printing quality of labels, counter labels and collars, as well as the presence of typos on the labeling of lids.
The ministry strongly advises that when buying alcohol, carefully check the compliance of the data on the label: this is the name and strength of the drink, the type and capacity of the container, as well as information about the manufacturer and his location.
Currently, to verify the legality of alcoholic beverages, there are a number of actions that minimize the risk of poisoning by a surrogate, explains Leisan Kutdusova, Director of Technology at Tatspirtprom JSC, to Izvestia.
— Each bottle is included in the accounting of the USAIS. Upon purchase, the cashier is required to scan the stamp and barcode, and the buyer receives a receipt with a QR code, which can be checked through the Anti-Counterfeiting application from the FSRAR," the expert explains.
It is important to be able to assess the quality of alcohol in a glass: by its appearance and transparency, smell and taste, the expert reminds.
— Vodka should be clean, without white residue on the glass and foreign odor. The highest quality alcohol brands are Alfa and Lux. Champagne should have a light straw color and small bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass," explained Laysan Kutdusova.
Among the signs of poor-quality champagne are the color of the liquid (it is amber, yellow or brown) and the fragility of the foam, which disappears almost immediately. In addition, the carbon dioxide bubbles on the walls are noticeably larger, the expert explained.
The Alcoholic Siberian Group also supports the idea of careful purchase of alcohol. Representatives of the company specify: "You can only add the date of bottling. Legal alcohol always has a label on the bottle or label, and counterfeit never attaches importance to this. The main scale of counterfeiting falls on cognac and whiskey, where people are less well versed in taste."
LADOGA estimates that the share of counterfeit goods in the country currently does not exceed 10%, which is one of the lowest rates in the world.
Rosalkogoltakkontrol recommendations: legal alcohol is not sold in non—stationary facilities - stalls, tents, by hand, on the Internet or in convenience stores. Also, it should not be released in a plastic container.
According to RATK experts, the share of illegal alcohol in the market ranges from 10 to 15%, it is distributed mainly through alternative production and distribution channels, and it is extremely rare in legal retail.
Where verification is powerless
However, the recommendations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs do not work for a part of the market. Industry experts remind that many categories of alcohol are produced not only in glass.
— The Ministry of Internal Affairs, in my opinion, only complicates the situation, because alcohol is bottled in bag-in-boxes, cans, bottles. Therefore, it is wrong to consider the inscription on the bottom of the bottle as a sign of authenticity," says Gennady Oparin, an experienced participant in the alcohol market and chairman of the Union of Farmers' Wineries.
He emphasizes that the key is the availability of information about the manufacturer, the excise stamp and the license of the outlet.
— Today, grain alcohol production is strictly regulated by the state: no new licenses are issued, old ones are limited, and the market is monopolized. This means that the counterfeit sector, deprived of access to legal raw materials, is looking for workarounds," says Gennady Oparin.
This explains the increased number of methanol poisoning. At the same time, licenses for the storage of seized or counterfeit products are issued by Rosalokoltabakregulirovanie, however, supervision of warehouses remains, unfortunately, weak.
The expert draws attention to the recent poisoning with cider in Siberia and methanol in the Leningrad region, which confirm that the control system is not coping.
"There are dozens of private temporary storage warehouses operating in the country, formally licensed, but in fact poorly verifiable," he notes. — If counterfeit goods or methanol of unknown origin are seized in these warehouses, the liquid may be put back into circulation. Therefore, control over warehouses needs to be tightened.
Gennady Oparin also shares the initiative to add substances to methanol that make it unusable and cause a gag reflex.
A similar view is expressed by Pavel Pobedkin, the ultimate beneficiary of KLVZ Kristall, Chairman of the Board of Directors of PJSC AGK. He clarifies that outwardly a fake can be absolutely identical to the original.
— In the production of counterfeit alcohol, assembled containers are often used — washed, cleaned and sealed bottles. Therefore, externally, such products can fully match the original, the expert explains.
And the fake market has changed today. The main part of the illegal turnover has turned into alcohol-containing liquids without excise taxes, which are not designated as vodka. It's a cheap substitute that has nothing to do with brands," says Pavel Pobedkin.
According to the press service of Rosalokoltakcontrol, illegal producers are concentrated in large cities, mainly in the segment of more expensive spirits. Prices for illegal products are lower because taxes and excise taxes do not have to be paid, and production is carried out in unsanitary conditions from unknown and dangerous raw materials.
A law that lags behind practice
Despite the digitalization of control, the legal framework still does not provide clear definitions. Dmitry Terentyev, an alcohol market lawyer, recalls that there is currently no legally established definition of counterfeit and adulterated products. Formally, counterfeit is a product without the consent of the copyright holder, and counterfeit is with false information about the composition, he notes.
According to the expert, because of this terminological gap, it is often unclear under which article to punish violators.
— In addition to the implicit signs, it is important to look at the place of sale and the presence of a federal stamp — this is the only guarantee of legality. Manufacturers are fighting counterfeiting, but stores are not interested in it," the expert argues.
However, the expert of the direction "Popular Front. Analytics" Roman Chikun is confident that the efforts of regulators are important.
— In accordance with Article 171.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, heavy fines and up to three years in prison are provided for illegal alcohol trafficking. In 2018, we introduced a labeling system that allows us to trace each unit of production from the factory to the store shelf, and it turned out to be effective," Roman Chikun notes.
Where the risk is minimal
Vyacheslav Spirin, a member of the RATK Public Council and president of the Russian Vodka Producers Association, is confident that the risk of buying a fake in a licensed retail outlet is minimal.
— If the label is skewed, the paper is of poor quality, or the labels are indistinct, this is a signal. But the place of purchase is more important. Alcohol bought by hand or at night is almost certainly illegal. The absence of a federal stamp is 100% counterfeit," Vyacheslav Spirin emphasizes.
He cites recent data: the share of illegal alcohol in the market is from 10 to 15%. The fight is ongoing, Rosalokoltabakcontrol, together with the police, identifies illegal sites. And the USAIS system simply will not allow you to break through an illegal bottle at the checkout.
Vyacheslav Mamontov, Executive Director of the Beer and Beverage Producers Association, points out that the beer market has its differences.
— It is economically unprofitable to counterfeit beer. The illegal segment is unregistered production, tax evasion and excise duties. The problem is more concentrated in the bottling segment, especially in the so—called "bulk containers," the expert said.
Dangerous recurrence of old schemes
Pavel Shapkin, head of the Center for National Alcohol Policy, calls glass recycling the main threat.
— There is a whole industry of collecting used bottles. Empty containers with the original label and a legal special label end up with bootleggers. Then they fill it with a surrogate and bring it back to the market," the expert notes.
He emphasizes that even an experienced buyer may not be able to distinguish such a bottle.
— Such a bottle can appear as a gift, at a feast, in a cafe. And the signs mentioned in the warnings will be missing. The taste, smell, and color of the contents should alert you. It is better not to try drinks at all if it is not known by whom and where they were bought, Pavel Shapkin recommends.
Analysts believe that for complete security, it is necessary to tighten control over containers. But at the legislative level, the sale of used bottles is not prohibited yet.
The scale of the threat
Oleg Nikolaev, co-founder of the Sevastopol Association of winegrowers and winemakers, says that the scale of the spread of counterfeit alcohol is actually beyond any clear calculations. There are estimates of 25% of the total turnover, but it is impossible to verify this, he notes.
At the same time, the system control in large networks is working very well, Oleg Nikolaev is sure.
— The USAIS and excise taxes are one hundred percent aligned, and it makes no sense for large players to deceive the state. Counterfeiting occurs through small—scale trade and clandestine production," he says.
Oleg Nikolaev also draws attention to the raw material side of the issue. According to him, the introduction of an excise tax on medical alcohol has reduced the opportunities for clandestine factories.
— Previously, medical alcohol was ten times cheaper, and most of it was counterfeit. Now the loophole is closed," the expert says.
He offers a simple technical solution: to dye methanol initially in factories to exclude its use in beverages.
"But for unknown reasons, they won't come to such a decision,— he adds.
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