Russia concedes beer is alcoholic in bid to counter drink culture
Russian President Dimitry Medvedev has resolved a discrepancy in his country's law by reclassifying beer from a ‘foodstuff’ to an alcoholic beverage.
The anomaly arose out of a rule which stated anything containing less than 10% alcohol was a ‘foodstuff’ but, faced with mounting abuse from citizens, authorities are now keen to enact measures to control the sale of beer in the same manner as spirits.
These include a 200% tax hike, a ban on sales from unlicensed kiosks, advertising restrictions and a curb on sales between certain hours.
Beer has become an increasingly popular tonic for Russians who regard it as a healthier choice than vodka, sales of the former have jumped 40% whilst the latter has nosedived 30%.
Beer is now as common as soft drinks in Russia, being available around the clock from unlicensed premises and publicly consumed on the streets and in parks.