Retail alcohol sales in Russia reached an all-time high in 2024, with an estimated 184.2 million decaliters (4.86 billion gallons) sold between January and October.
This was reported by the RBC business news outlet, citing data from Russian market regulators.
It marks the highest figure recorded since 2017, when the tracking of such data began. Sales during this period were 21% higher than in the same months of 2017 and 0.8% above the levels recorded in 2023.
Vodka remains the top seller, with 62.5 million decaliters (1.65 billion gallons) sold, slightly surpassing 2022 figures.
Wine sales reached 46.9 million decaliters (1.24 billion gallons), reflecting a 0.9% increase from 2023 and a 22.5% rise compared to 2017.
Sparkling wine saw a notable surge, with sales increasing by 10.9% from 2023 to 16.3 million decaliters (430 million gallons)—a 61% jump from 2017.
Liqueurs and spirits also showed growth. Liqueur sales rose by 16.6%, reaching 13.2 million decaliters (348 million gallons), while whisky, rum, and gin sales climbed by 15.7% to 11.3 million decaliters (298 million gallons).
This growth in alcohol sales coincides with a report from Russia’s state statistics agency, which noted the first rise in alcohol dependency rates in a decade.
