Demand for alcohol in Russia fell by 15% in a year — study

In 2024, Russian alcohol purchases decreased by 15% in the fall compared to the previous year, coinciding with a 14% increase in the average cost of alcohol. A study by Kontur.Market looked at retail receipts in Russia, focusing on beer, wine, champagne, and strong liquor. The demand for wine saw the largest decrease at 26%, while the average receipt for it increased by 7%. Conversely, champagne demand rose by 6% despite an 11% increase in average price. The rise in alcohol prices in October and November 2024 led to a decrease in demand for all alcohol categories, except for champagne.

In the fall of 2024, Russians bought alcohol 15% less often than in the fall of the previous year. At the same time, the average bill for alcohol increased by 14%, according to a study by Kontur.Market, available to TASS. "The drop in demand [for alcohol] turned out to be more significant: this fall, Russians bought alcohol 15% less often than in the fall of last year," the study says, adding that the average cost of alcohol in October-September 2024 increased by 14% compared to the same period last year and amounted to 353 rubles. Analysts studied how demand and average prices for the main groups of alcoholic beverages in Russia have changed: beer, wine, champagne and strong liquor, including whiskey, cognac, vodka, etc. Experts studied 25 million receipts issued by retail outlets across Russia in October-November 2024 and compared the data with the same period in 2023. The demand for wine decreased the most — by 26%, while the average receipt for this drink increased by only 7% ...