Alcohol prices to go up 50%

The minimum prices of alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content above 28% will be increased from October 25.

This measure is prescribed by order No. 87 released by the Ministry of Economy on October 18, 2012.

Under the document, the minimum prices (excluding VAT) of alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of 40% per 0.5 litre (including the cost of consumer packaging) will go up by 51.4% to 21,500 rubles. The selling prices (inc. VAT) will rise by 51% to 29,600 rubles, Interfax news agency reports.

The minimum selling prices of imported alcoholic beverages with 40% ABV sold in Belarus will  amount to 43,000 rubles (a 51.4% increase).

Besides, the document raises the minimum selling prices of ethanol. The prices of the raw spirit from food raw materials sold to Belarusian organization for rectified ethanol production with zero excise duty will be 90,000 rubles (excluding VAT) per 1 decalitre of absolute alcohol (a 45.2% increase). The price of rectified ethanol for alcoholic beverages, vinegar and low-alcohol beverages production with zero excise duties will amount to 120,000 rubles per 1 decalitre of absolute alcohol (a 44.6% increase). The price of rectified ethanol from food raw materials (including excise duties) will reach 333,200 rubles per 1 decalitre of absolute alcohol (a 19.6% increase).

It is the second increase in the prices of alcoholic beverages in 2012.