Alcohol purchases will be subject to a mandatory fee at all sales locations
A new law on state fees for retail alcohol sales in Russia is set to take effect starting September 2, 2025. This law marks a significant shift in the way duties on alcohol sales are collected, moving away from the previous licensing fee structure [1].
Under the new law, the state fee will now be paid per trading object, rather than per year or per company. For a retail point in rural areas, the fee stands at 20,000 rubles, while for other cases, it is 65,000 rubles per year [1]. This change is expected to bring 45 billion rubles to the Russian Federation's (RF) budget [6].
The reform is expected to impact alcohol pricing, as the costs may be reflected in higher prices for consumers. The law is also aimed at boosting federal budget income through more efficient and potentially increased duty collection from retailers [1].
In addition, the law could potentially incentivize or coincide with efforts to promote local alcoholic beverages in retail settings. However, there is no explicit information available to confirm details about a specific initiative named "Russian shelf" in these search results [1][5]. This term is often associated with dedicated shelf space for promoting domestic products in retail settings.
Interestingly, the new law also aims to ensure a guaranteed share of domestic products across the entire consumer goods sector, both offline and online [2]. Under the new law, restaurants and stores will be required to allocate 20% of their shelf space for Russian wines, providing consumers with the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the range of domestic wines [7].
It's worth noting that if violations are detected only at a specific store or catering establishment, the license suspension or revocation will only affect that particular location, allowing all other company-owned objects to continue operating under their own licenses [3].
In summary, the new law on state fees for retail alcohol sales in Russia will take effect on September 2, 2025. The law aims to increase revenue for the state budget, impact alcohol pricing, and potentially promote local alcoholic beverages in stores. However, the specifics about the "Russian shelf" initiative remain speculative.
This new legislation in Russian politics, pertaining to state fees for retail alcohol sales, is set to influence both the finance and business sectors, as it may lead to higher prices for consumers due to changes in duty collection. Furthermore, the law could encourage or coincide with initiatives aimed at promoting local alcoholic beverages in stores, as per the "Russian shelf" concept in general-news discussions. However, the details about an explicit "Russian shelf" initiative remain unclear.
