Beer in Russia has risen sharply / Economic news of Krasnoyarsk and the Krasnoyarsk Territory / Newslab.Ru

Based on the results of the first two months of 2026, the average cost of a liter of beer in Russia reached 177.6 rubles, which is 15% higher than a year earlier and almost three times higher than official inflation.

Vedomosti writes about this with reference to data from the Center for the Development of Advanced Technologies (CRPT; operator of the “Honest Sign” labeling system).

Rosstat reports the same level of growth in beer prices, but estimates the average price of a liter at 208.3 rubles. According to him, for the entire 2025 it has risen in price by 16 percent.

The head of the WineRetail information center, Alexander Stavtsev, said that the cost of a standard 0.5-liter can of beer produced in Russia until recently was in the region of 79-99 rubles. Companies tried not to exceed the 100 ruble mark, but since the beginning of 2026 this limit has fallen and prices have gone up.

Experts point out that one of the key reasons for the rise in prices was the increase in excise taxes. Since January, they have increased by 10 percent – from 30 to 33 rubles per liter. Also impacted by a ten percent increase in value added tax (VAT), from 20 to 22%, and the fact that some suppliers who previously worked under a simplified tax system had to pay full VAT from 2026.

The first deputy chairman of the council of the Union of Russian Brewers, Igor Khavsky, added that the aluminum from which cans are made has risen in price on the stock exchange by 30% in six months. However, he does not expect prices to continue rising unless new factors come into play.

Independent expert on the alcohol market Alexey Nebolsin noted that against the backdrop of a rapid rise in prices, beer production in Russia is falling. In January-February, production decreased by 5.1% in annual terms, to 104.4 million deciliters. If we take into account beer drinks, production decreased by 6.1%.