Russia plans to raise beer and wine excise duties in 2027, Interfax reports
Excise rates on beer and wine in Russia are set to rise by 6% and 6.8% respectively in 2027, Interfax reported citing sources. Duty on strong beer would move from 33 to 35 rubles per litre and still wine from 148 to 158 rubles per litre, with further annual steps through 2029. Winemakers have limited room to absorb the increase because reclaimed excise is earmarked for vineyard investment.
Russia plans to raise excise duties on beer and wine again, with rates on the two categories increasing by 6% and 6.8% respectively in 2027, Interfax reported citing sources, in an account published by Kommersant. The proposed indexation extends to 2029 and follows the beer duty increase that took effect on 1 January 2025. The figures are attributed to sources and are described as proposals rather than a final decision.
Beer duty moves to 37 rubles per litre by 2029
For beer with an alcohol content above 8.6%, the excise rate would rise from 33 to 35 rubles per litre in 2027, according to the figures cited by Interfax. The rate is then set at 36 rubles per litre in 2028 and 37 rubles per litre in 2029.
The schedule front-loads the increase: the first step is worth about 6%, while the two subsequent annual steps are close to 3% each. Across the full period the beer rate rises by roughly 12% from its current level. Brewers pay a duty calculated per litre rather than on value, so the absolute increase is identical for every brand, which makes it heaviest as a share of price at the cheapest end of the range.
Still wine at 158 rubles, sparkling at 170
The rate for ordinary non-fortified wines is proposed to increase from the current 148 rubles per litre to the following levels:
- 158 rubles per litre in 2027
- 164 rubles per litre in 2028
- 171 rubles per litre in 2029
For sparkling wine the duty would reach 170 rubles per litre in 2027, 177 rubles in 2028 and 184 rubles in 2029. The gap between the two categories widens from 12 rubles per litre in 2027 to 13 rubles in 2029. The cumulative increase for still wine over the three years is about 15%, ahead of the roughly 12% planned for strong beer.
Winemakers have limited room to absorb the cost
An excise increase normally reaches the shelf. After beer duty went up on 1 January 2025, it was the most affordable products that rose in price first, Kommersant noted. In December 2023 producers had also warned retail chains of alcohol price increases, attributing them not only to excise but to the rising cost of spirit, materials and logistics.
For wine producers the ability to pass the burden to the consumer is constrained. The excise that makers of wine from Russian grapes can reclaim is earmarked for investment in vineyards and modernisation, which means it cannot be redirected to hold down ex-works prices. The support mechanism and the pricing problem sit in separate accounts.
Demand response and the import mismatch
The category has already tested consumer tolerance. In April 2025, higher import duties, excise and production costs pushed wine prices up, and the increase was accompanied by weaker demand, with part of the buyer base moving to other types of alcohol rather than to cheaper wine.
Substitution by domestic supply is also imperfect. Imports into Russia are dominated by white wine, while domestic production is weighted towards red, so heavier duties on imported product do not translate directly into volume for Russian wineries. For importers, distributors and brewers, the 2027 schedule sets a known cost step at a point when the category is not growing.
