Russian alcohol production fell by 6.7 percent in the first seven months of 2026, according to data from regulator Rosalkogoltabakkontrol reported by Interfax. Total production reached 82.8 million decaliters between January and July, excluding beer, beer drinks, cider, poire, and mead.
Domestic wine production dropped by 11.3 percent to 18.6 million decaliters during the period. Vodka production decreased by 4.6 percent to 36.1 million decaliters, while cognac output fell 8 percent year-on-year to 3.7 million decaliters.
Low-alcohol beverages recorded the steepest decline, falling by nearly half to 485,000 decaliters. Liqueur and spirit products were the only category to show growth, rising 7.7 percent to 10.4 million decaliters.
Causes of falling output
The drop in production across major alcohol types coincided with rising manufacturer costs and falling domestic demand. Experts explained the decrease in demand by pointing to higher retail prices caused by a sharp increase in excise taxes.
Analysts reported that a significant number of citizens shifted to a savings model of behavior as real wage growth slowed. Under these conditions, analysts stated that alcohol was one of the first categories where consumers cut their spending.
