New measures to combat surrogate alcohol have been proposed: new excise taxes will appear

Quite modest successes in the fight against illegal trafficking in alcoholic beverages are forcing the authorities to propose new measures. Thus, within the walls of the Federation Council they recommend that the government oblige glass container manufacturers to put a stamp on bottles of strong drinks. Manufacturers of containers are already reporting that there will be no problems or additional costs. But will this step help overcome counterfeit alcohol?

First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Budget and Financial Markets Sergei Ryabukhin proposes to oblige glass container manufacturers to put a stamp on their bottles. This is the only way to legalize the cycle from bottle production to alcohol consumption. The buyer will know that containers without a stamp are counterfeit and, according to the senator, will refrain from such a purchase.

As they say, the legend is fresh… Bottles of alcoholic beverages already have an excise stamp, which confirms the quality and quality of the goods. When it was introduced, it was believed that all the illegal immigrants would run away in different directions and we would not have any surrogate. Today it is clear that this is not enough. The brand can be easily counterfeited on a color printer, so additional “identification” marks are needed.

But the mark, according to experts, is also easy to fake. As we know from the statements of glass container manufacturers, this operation does not require re-equipment of lines or changes in the technological process.

In addition, distilleries that receive containers under a contract with the manufacturer of this same container do not have any privileges over other buyers. Those who bottle vodka or whiskey in cellars also have the right to enter into contracts for the supply of bottles. Including with a brand.

In a word, counterfeit goods are indestructible for some mysterious reason; they are taking deeper and deeper roots in the alcohol market.

According to the Financial Research Institute of the Ministry of Finance, the share of illegal alcohol trafficking in Russia is 19.6%. That is, every fifth bottle in the country is a surrogate. Trade in such goods is especially brisk in rural areas. This can be explained by two reasons: low incomes of the peasant masses and the inability of rural stores to obtain a license due to the high requirements and cost of this document.

However, rural residents are not particularly eager to acquire such licenses. Village men won’t buy legal alcohol anyway.

We asked an expert what the mass “branding” of glass containers could lead to.

“Such a measure will not give results,” Vadim Drobiz, director of the Center for Research of Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets, is convinced. – It has been discussed for 5-6 years now; we could have implemented this idea a long time ago. But the whole point is that legal alcohol is sold in legal places: in shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. And counterfeit goods are usually found in villages and underground retail outlets. The market for legal and “scorched” products does not overlap in retail sales locations. And the brand on the bottles won’t change that.

– Then what is it? Why is counterfeit taking over our market?

– Nobody deceives anyone here. The reason lies on the surface. A bottle of, for example, burnt vodka is sold 2-3 times cheaper. The consumer buys it consciously and does not need any identification marks. Alcohol is cheap and he can afford it. Everyone understands that if cheap whiskey is sold on the Internet, by hand or in some other way, then it is a surrogate. Let there be at least 10 different labels on the bottle.

Now they want to label medical alcohol with excise stamps. If today illegal vodka is made from medical alcohol, then tomorrow it will be from artisanal alcohol. The number of poisonings will increase.

The reason is that Russians, for the most part, have low salaries. Our alcohol is the most expensive in the world relative to average per capita income. It is about five times more expensive than in Europe, if you compare its price with people’s incomes. Of course, those who want to drink will buy counterfeit goods – and the demand for it will grow!

– What about the prices for vodka?

– The cheapest legal bottle costs 280 rubles. From next year 299-310 rubles. But it should cost 150 per half liter – and even this is expensive for those who earn up to 30 thousand rubles a month. With such salaries, you simply do not have the moral right to bring a bottle of vodka into your house for 280 rubles.

In general, in the fight against illegal alcohol trafficking, it would be safer to significantly raise wages in the country. But it’s probably more complicated than putting a stamp on bottles. Moreover, these operations do not incur additional costs.