Russian vodka doubles in price

The price of cheap vodka has doubled in Russia as the country aims to curb the rate of alcohol consumption during its notoriously heavy-drinking New Year and Orthodox Christmas holidays which last from 1-11 January.

Shocked by statistics that showed Russians consume 38 pints of pure alcohol each year, last summer president Dmitry Medvedev introduced a number of schemes to control the rate of alcohol intake, with particular focus on vodka and beer.

As part of these efforts, as of 1 January, the cheapest price of a 50cl bottle of vodka in Russia will now double to 89 roubles (£1.82), 0.5% of the average Russian monthly salary of 18,702 roubles (£383).

In the lead up to the New Year celebrations, supermarkets in Moscow carried vast selections of vodka with luxury brands priced more than ten times the minimum too.

Medvedev is one of a number of Russian leaders who have attempted to limit the growth of alcohol consumption. In the 1980s, Mikhail Gorbachev reduced the production of alcohol and tried to control consumption. However, this led to the emergence of illegal production of low-quality alcoholic drinks.

Medvedev is also focusing on reducing the consumption of beer, the duty price of which has tripled since last summer. The government is also considering where and when beer can be sold, such as banning its sale on street kiosks.

Jane Parkinson, 04.01.2010