Retail chains opposed the legalization of online sales of alcohol – Kommersant

The Association of Retail Trade Companies (AKORT) did not support the initiative to legalize distance selling of alcoholic beverages. This is stated in a letter from the Chairman of the Presidium of AKORT Igor Karavaev, sent to the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Viktor Evtukhov yesterday, September 26, reports RBC.

According to the association, online alcohol sales remain a “weakly controlled and high-risk sales channel,” and its legalization creates risks for consumers. ACORT believes that the legalization of distance selling of alcohol will lead to a sharp increase in the number of sites selling these products online. However, there are no effective mechanisms for blocking the sale of illegal and counterfeit alcohol on the Internet, Mr. Karavaev notes. Over the past three years, the number of such Internet sites has doubled, and in 2022 alone, Rosalkogolregulirovanie blocked 6.8 thousand of these online resources.

According to AKORT, alcohol sold on the Internet is of interest to consumers because of the “advantages” that arise from non-compliance with the law. In particular, this is a significantly lower price, sales to minors, as well as permission to sell alcohol in violation of federal and regional legislation (time and place of sale, lack of a federal special stamp, vacation without a receipt, etc.). The ACORT letter notes that with the legalization of distance selling of alcohol, it will become more difficult to combat illegal products on the Internet, and the number of alcohol poisonings may also increase.

The press service of the Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that it has not yet received the association’s appeal.

The press service of ABC of Taste, which is part of the association, said that, on the contrary, they support the legalization of online sales of alcohol, so the company did not participate in drawing up the letter. The need to give the market a “legal alternative” was also discussed by the Association of Internet Trade Companies (which includes Ozon, SberMarket, Wildberries).

The bill on online alcohol sales was prepared by the head of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation, Andrei Klishas. In June, he withdrew the initiative after the conclusion of the Ministry of Finance. Then the department supported the project conceptually, but asked to ensure sufficient control over the sale of alcohol online. Vedomosti wrote that the revised draft law will be submitted to the State Duma in the autumn session.

Details are in the Kommersant FM article. “Alcohol is being prepared for the distance”.

Laura Keffer