Russia Reportedly Preparing to Hike Alcohol Tariffs on ‘Unfriendly’ Countries

A couple walks under an umbrella in Red Square during a snowfall in Moscow, Russia. (Photo: Sergey Bobylev / Sputnik via AP)

Russia is preparing to hike alcohol tariffs on “unfriendly countries” in a bid to boost domestic spirits production, according to Russian media outlet Kommersant.

Starting on May 1, authorities reportedly plan to raise the duties on spirits from certain markets from €3 to €5 per liter of alcohol. The move will exacerbate the already steep tariffs on “unfriendly” alcohol, which, in September 2024, were raised to an import duty of 20% of their customs value.

Authorities have not specified which countries are deemed “unfriendly,” though it doesn’t particularly matter in the context of Russia’s plan. According to Kommersant, the duties are intended to increase demand for Russian-made brandy and whiskey products.

Alkopro Guild President Andrey Moskovsky told that outlet that only “a couple dozen” major foreign spirits are expected to stay on the market after the tariff hike, and that some may localize production in Russia.

Ruslan Bragin, head of spirits at Russian retailer Fort, added that the tariffs will primarily impact inexpensive, foreign-made gin, liqueur, cognac, brandy and whiskey, categories where “consumer price sensitivity is highest.”

Time will tell if Russia’s latest tariff hike has its desired effect.

According to the Russian Alcohol Market Association, total retail alcohol sales in the country slumped to 165.2 million decaliters in the first ten months of 2025, the lowest since 2017. Though liquor sales increased as a whole, other categories that traditionally performed began to lose their luster. Still wine sales decreased by 1.7%, sparkling wine by 2.7% and vodka — inarguably Russia’s most famous spirit — decreased by 3.7%.

The downturn reflects international trends of the day. Liquor consumption is declining across the world, due in part to economic headwinds and the oft-repeated (though possibly incorrect) sentiment that younger consumers are losing interest in alcohol.

In other ways, however, Russia is a unique case. Maxim Chernigovsky, associate professor at the Presidential Academy in St. Petersburg, told Wine Intelligence that official sales figures may be taking a hit from the shadow economy. Excise taxes and duties have dramatically raised the retail price of imported products, potentially driving consumers to purchase their spirits off the books. If this is true, Russia’s increased alcohol duties may only worsen the underlying issue.