The living wage of a drinking person

The Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation wants to get the right to introduce minimal retail prices (MRC) for weak alcohol. The department believes that this will help in the fight against counterfeit products. At the same time, market experts predict an increase in alcohol prices without health benefits for Russians. In their opinion, the amount of fake alcohol on the shelves from this measure can only increase.

On the federal portal of draft regulatory legal acts, the corresponding document has already been posted. The explanatory note to it states that the installation of MRC will create a competitive environment in the market for alcohol products, legalize it, ensure the stable operation of enterprises and, ultimately, increase taxes on the budget of the Russian Federation. In addition, it is assumed that this measure, among others, will reduce the availability of strong for residents of the country, especially for young people. “Low -quality products, as a rule, have a low price, which provides an unreasonable competitive advantage in promoting such products, especially in large retail chains ,” the authors say in the explanation.

Purchase of wine samples for quality testing / AGN "Moscow" / Photo: Zykov Kirill

As the deputy head of the Ministry of Finance Ilya Trunin noted, although it was previously decided not to increase excise taxes in order to stabilize the market, this does not mean that alcohol products should be cheap and accessible to everyone. “Therefore, together with the Ministry of Health, we analyze the level and maybe we will come to the need that not only in large alcohol, but also for other types, it is necessary to set minimum retail prices,” the deputy minister said .

He admitted that this measure, in principle, is needed only to limit the availability of alcohol, and does not solve other tasks, including those related to taxes and increasing legalization. No decisions on this issue have been made. And now, no matter what wine is in the list, minimal prices are set only for sparkling wines. “This resolution provides only the opportunity to install MRC on a wider list of products, if such decisions are adopted. There are no such decisions now, ”the press service of the department reports

Tasting in one of the restaurants of Moscow / AGN "Moscow" / Photo: Ivanko Igor

Recall that at present the minimum prices are set for strong alcohol, as well as sparkling wines and champagne. From January 1, the Ministry of Finance records the minimum retail price for vodka at the level of 215 rubles per bottle of half a liter (the rule applies to “weak” vodka, the strength of which is from 37% to 39%), the minimum fee for the corresponding volume of cognac is set at 388 rubles, for brandy - 307 rubles. The minimum retail price for sparkling wines is 164 rubles per bottle of 0.75 liters. The previous rise in price occurred at the end of August. In December 2018, it became known that manufacturers proposed increasing the minimum retail price of champagne by 25%. If the initiative is accepted, the cheapest bottle of sparkling wine will cost the buyer in 202 rubles. In January, it was noted that the largest importers of wines and other alcohol to Russia began to increase prices.

In October , the head of the Center for the Development of National Alcohol Policy Pavel Shapkin assured that the rise in price for an ordinary consumer will not occur. “This is a purely technical edit, associated with the fact that organizations have a problem when the difference in the price of one ruble for drinks with a fortress close to 37-38–40 degrees leads to the fact that they may lose their license in a non -judicial basis. It is very difficult to understand the range and how it differs, sometimes shops are mistaken and put the price per ruble more or less. To simplify the control and life of market participants, they decided to combine a number of minimum prices into one line, ”the expert said.

Tail in a supermarket with bottles / AGN "Moscow" / Photo: Zykov Kirill

In the summer, the Ministry of Finance proposed to oblige Russian manufacturers of beer, beer drinks, cider, pora and meads to put special brands on products. This means that the brewers will regulate almost as hard as the participants in the strong alcohol market. According to Oraza Durdyev, director of legal issues and corporate relations, this issue is relevant only for those types of alcohol products where the share of the illegal market is great, beer does not apply to such a category, therefore, the introduction of the minimum retail price for this product will require a comprehensive and weigh valuation.

If the Ministry of Finance gets the right and begins to use it, this will cause the opposite effect of the expected effect, the expert on the development of the alcohol market and the editor -in -chief of the Alcool.ru portal Mikhail Smirnov. “The rise in price is recorded in the program for the fight against alcoholism, but this is quite stupid: if people are ready to give one hundred rubles for a bottle of vodka, they will pay so much. From 40 to 50% of alcohol sold in Russia - falsification. In the Kurgan region, for example, it is now easy to buy three bottles of vodka for three hundred rubles, ”he explained . And he added that the measure will not reduce the already developed consumption rate.

A pack of cigarettes with warning inscriptions / AGN "Moscow" / Photo: Lyubimov Andrey

Previously, it was planned to provide bottles with alcohol images with information about the dangers of alcohol, similar to the fact that they are now published on cigarette packs. “The purpose of this measure is to show people the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. To inform the population that alcohol is associated not only with joy, but also with severe social consequences, ”the Ministry of Health said , emphasizing that there is no such practice in the world experience. In the future, a clause on such demotivators can be added to a healthy lifestyle strategy. We will remind, earlier the head of the department Veronika Skvortsova said that the department was ready to make proposals to increase the age of alcohol sale.

The prepared bill on the introduction of the MRC for all types of alcohol has already been sent by the Ministry of Finance for coordination to the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Rosalkolregulreguli.