In October 2024, the Czech Republic significantly increased its beer exports to Russia, reaching a four-year high, according to data from Eurostat, reported by RIA Novosti. The total value of beer shipments from the Czech Republic to Russia in that month amounted to four million euros, reflecting a nearly 1.9-fold increase in monetary terms compared to the previous year.
Poland also saw a sharp rise in beer exports to Russia, with shipments increasing by 5.7 times to 2.3 million euros year-on-year. Despite these increases, Germany remained Russia’s largest beer supplier, though its shipments fell by 18 percent to six million euros in October, compared to the same period in 2023. Other EU nations, including Latvia and Lithuania, experienced declines in beer exports to Russia, with Latvian beer imports dropping by 12 percent to 3.5 million euros and Lithuanian beer shipments falling by 41 percent to 2.6 million euros.
Overall, European Union countries exported a total of 20.5 million euros worth of beer to Russia in October, representing a 4 percent decline from the same month in 2023. From January to October 2024, the total value of beer imports from the EU to Russia amounted to 211 million euros, compared to 220 million euros in 2023.
Meanwhile, beer prices in Russia have risen sharply, with the average price of a liter increasing by 20 percent year-on-year to 110 rubles in the autumn of 2024. This price hike has been accompanied by a 21 percent drop in consumer demand for beer. The sharpest decline in beer sales was observed in the Primorsky Territory, where demand fell by 36 percent, despite a 25 percent increase in the average purchase price.
Pavel Shapkin, the head of the Center for the Development of National Alcohol Policy and Chairman of the National Union for Consumer Protection, has warned that alcohol prices in Russia—spanning beer, wine, and spirits—are expected to rise by 15-20 percent after the New Year. This price increase will be driven by the implementation of new excise rates and the establishment of minimum pricing standards, he explained.
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