Recent survey results show a persistent perception among Russians that not every product is accessible domestically, yet a strong presence remains for core categories such as gadget accessories and components for vehicles, home appliances and electronics, as well as apparel and footwear. A notable portion of respondents — close to one third — report that the availability of their regular purchases has deteriorated over the past two years. Experts add that lowering the duty-free threshold to 200 euros would not only narrow the product assortment and reduce affordability, but could also contribute to higher inflation in the broader economy.
Industry specialists emphasize that buying foreign goods is often seen as a necessity in Russia, even though cross-border commerce represents only around 0.5% of total retail activity. Roughly six in ten Russians opt for imported items because they appear cheaper, more than four in ten point to the absence of needed goods in their region, and about one in three cite a broader product range as a key driver for choosing foreign sources. This mix of price and availability concerns underscores a complex consumer landscape where international options remain important despite domestic supply challenges.
Experts argue that access to goods valued over 200 euros is particularly important for Russians since these items frequently include rare or highly specialized items with limited domestic substitutes, making international shopping a cost-saving possibility for many households. If the threshold were lowered to 200 euros, it is projected that roughly one in four users would forgo expensive purchases and about one in three would reduce their overall orders. At the same time, increased expenses tied to parcel processing and data handling for the Federal Customs Service would escalate. Moreover, the revenue impact from a lower threshold would be marginal, estimated at around 0.002% of the 2024 budget, highlighting a limited fiscal payoff against broader economic implications.
Business representatives participating in the study warn of broader damages to the sector, including a potential decline in employment within logistics and customs operations, which would also dampen corporate tax contributions to public budgets. The ripple effects could extend beyond immediate jobs to longer-term capacity in the supply chain, affecting efficiency and resilience across retail and distribution networks.
Earlier discussions among online retail players and industry experts suggested that reducing thresholds from 1,000 euros to 200 euros might drive price increases as high as fifteen percent and depress overall sales. Such effects would weigh on consumer sentiment and could slow the momentum of e-commerce growth, especially in a market sensitive to currency fluctuations and supply disruptions. This context helps explain why policy makers have weighed trade policy carefully against consumer access.
Since April 2022, measures to shield personal-use imports from abroad with a duty-free limit of 1,000 euros have helped reduce shortages, sustain consumer demand, and moderate price pressures for everyday goods. If the Russian government does not secure extension of this threshold in negotiations with the European Economic Community Council, the duty-free limit could drop substantially, from 1,000 euros to 200 euros, starting on April 1, 2024. Such a shift would transform buying patterns, increase import costs for households, and reshape the competitive dynamics between domestic producers and foreign sellers, with wide-ranging implications for the retail ecosystem.