In 2020, vodka consumption in Russia increased by two percent, to 4.9 liters per capita. This is the conclusion reached by analysts from the Center for Research on Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets (CIFRRA), RBC reports.
Sakhalin (12.4 liters) and Magadan (11.6 liters) regions became the leaders in consumption among the regions. Moreover, if in the first region an increase of two percent was recorded, then in the second – a fall by the same amount.
Next comes the Komi Republic (11.2 liters, plus three percent), the Karelia Republic (9.8 liters, the same figure as a year ago) and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (9.4 liters, minus six percent). The strongest rise was seen in vodka consumption in the Kaliningrad region – by 39 percent at once, to 5.6 liters per person.
The head of CIFRRA, Vadim Drobiz, explained that territories remote from the center of the country are leading in the ranking due to problems with logistics. The more difficult it is to deliver illegal products to the shops of the region, the higher the alcoholization rate in the official statistics.
The rating of the organization takes into account only the data of the state alcohol control system EGAIS, so the real level of consumption of strong alcohol in the country is much higher.
Member of the Public Chamber of Russia Sultan Khamzaev, at the same time the head of the organization “Sober Russia” proposed to complicate the access of citizens to legal alcoholic beverages with a strength above 15 degrees, including vodka. In his opinion, it is necessary to completely ban the sale of goods in ordinary supermarkets.