Belarus approves a new range of products: alcohol card menu gets new domestic spirits. Changes in the sales of alcoholic beverages will affect shops, too. Along with grape wines, they were obliged to sell fruit wines.
All Belarusian cafes, bars and restaurants have to increase twofold the number of types of alcohol on the menu, tut.by learned in Trade Ministry. Other shops’ range of alcohol will be extended by 1.5 times. First of all, the changes affected the Belarusian vodka, champagne and cognac.
Thus, top segment cafes, which have special permission for retail trade in alcohol must have 54 types of alcoholic beverages, including 23 varieties of vodka, 8 – cognac and (or) brandy, 7 kinds of liquors, 8 kinds of champagne or sparkling wine And the same of grape wines.
“The goal – selling domestic products, explains Department Head Larysa Kamarova. It is also protection of the domestic market, not only of alcohol, but also all other products. We are selling our own, and not feeding the West. At the same time nobody forbids companies to have imported goods.”
Cafes and restaurants of all types, including those that specialize in the sale of beer or a good wine, have to obey the new rules. The only exception to this list became coffee cafes. From the mandatory list of products for these institutions has been excluded vodka (formerly its presence was required in the menu, prompting the owners surprise), but added a range of champagne. As to all other alcoholic beverages, the list of coffee in cafes remained the same.
The Trade Ministry also set a maximum margin of 60% on the Belarusian alcohol of more than 28% in catering facilities. This measure will reduce the price of domestic spirits in cafes and restaurants, the ministry noted.
Another change in the domestic alcohol market affected selling points. According to the Ministry of Trade resolution # 24 of 26 August 2015, the store offering customers grape wines must necessarily have fruit wines, which is popularly known as cheap booze. The Ministry of Trade emphasized that this requirement does not apply to catering facilities. No one is forcing the owners of restaurants and cafes to include Belarusian wine – it is their right of choice.
On August 20, Lukashenka sharply criticized the government for its indecisiveness in taking measures to protect the domestic market of alcohol. The President noted the increasing imports of alcohol, its illegal trafficking and, at the same time, reduced domestic production. The meeting was followed by the removal of restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages at night in Minsk and changes in the product range.
tut.by, belsat.eu/en/
