The economist assessed the impact of the updated GOST on the beer market

Updating GOST standards for brewing products will have a complex impact on the industry, while no drastic price consequences are expected for consumers. Ekaterina Kosareva, Managing partner of the VMT Consult agency, expressed this opinion to Izvestia on February 26.

According to her, the innovation will primarily affect manufacturers. The expansion of the raw material base will require a revision of technological maps and formulations, adjustments to contracts with suppliers, and in some cases, modernization of equipment. For some enterprises, this will result in additional costs during the transition to the new standard.

"In the medium term, expanding the list of acceptable malt, on the contrary, can reduce dependence on barley and diversify purchases. This is especially important in conditions of grain price volatility and logistical constraints," Kosareva said.

Additional opportunities are opening up for the agro-industrial complex. The growing demand for alternative crops can stimulate the development of processing and related industries. As a result, the market becomes more resilient and flexible to external fluctuations.

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As for retail prices, no significant jump is predicted. At the start, there may be point changes in the cost of individual manufacturers — both upward due to the restructuring of production processes, and downward due to more profitable raw materials. However, the beer market in Russia remains highly competitive, and large companies traditionally smooth out such fluctuations due to the scale of their business.

"We should not expect a systemic and significant rise in price precisely because of the new GOST. Price dynamics is likely to be determined by general economic factors such as excise policy, inflation and logistics," the expert emphasizes.

According to Kosareva, the impact on competition between large and small producers can be multidirectional. Major players have the resources to quickly adapt and scale the production of new varieties through advanced distribution. At the same time, craft and regional breweries receive additional opportunities for experimentation — the use of rye, buckwheat or oat malt allows them to create niche products with pronounced taste characteristics.

It is expected that the range on the market will expand as a result. Russian enterprises are already demonstrating a high level of technological equipment in both the mass and premium segments. The new standard does not reduce the requirements for product safety and quality, but only clarifies and expands the permissible parameters of raw materials. This will help maintain the stability of the base varieties and at the same time bring new lines with original positioning to the market.

On the same day, Elena Myasnikova, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Food Technology and Bioengineering at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, announced that the GOST for beer 2012 will be replaced next year by a new standard that expands the possibilities of using different types of malt in the creation of this foam drink. Rye, buckwheat, millet and oat malt will be allowed to be used in the production of the drink. The expert emphasized that compliance with the regulations remains voluntary, and potential changes are not aimed at obliging its application, but at instituting changes in this industry.

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