The newspaper reported that the sale of alcohol may be banned in cafes, restaurants and stores located in residences in Russia. “News”.
According to the material of the publication, a bill on this will be submitted to the State Duma by the deputies of United Russia in the near future. According to the bill, only the general assembly of the owners will be able to allow the sale of alcohol in workplaces located in residential buildings. Deputies explain their intentions by collective complaints of residents about such establishments. The law on limiting the activities of night liquor stores, passed in 2020, did not solve the problem. That is why the deputies aim to significantly reduce the number of establishments located in residential buildings that have the right to sell alcohol.
Vladimir Koshelev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Construction, Housing and Utilities, described the problem of the semi-legal sale of alcohol as “the scourge of most northern and southern cities of Russia.” The governor of the Arkhangelsk region, Alexander Tsybulsky, announced the need for urgent action, as the semi-legal sale of alcohol leads to a general worsening of the criminal situation.
In turn, business representatives believe such a measure could harm fair trade and exacerbate the problem of illegal alcohol smuggling. Its implementation will have a negative impact on trade, as often alcoholic products make up a significant part of the product range of such organizations. In their view, it is necessary to distinguish civilized trade from illegal and problematic retail outlets.
Pyotr Shelishch, head of the Consumers Union public organization, said that such a lock could promote the illegal circulation of alcohol in Russia. According to him, such “revolutionary decisions” could undermine the stability of retail, which is already in trouble today.
Anton Orlov, former Director of the Institute for Contemporary Policy Studies discussed to Denis Manturov, head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, with a proposal to create a unified state alcohol retail trade network.