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Retail sales of vodka reported down 6.5 percent in first half of 2014

Retail sales of vodka in the first six months of 2014 totaled 4,918,400 decaliters, down 6.5 percent from the same period the previous year, reported the National Statistical Committee (Belstat).

Sales of alcoholic beverages, including beer, totaled 12.8 trillion rubels in the first half of the year, accounting for 11 percent of all retail trade in Belarus, Belstat said.

Sales of vodka-based liqueurs reportedly amounted to 685,500 decaliters, a 10.6-percent year-on-year decrease; sales of beer to 17,353,400 decaliters, a 1.7-percent decrease; and sales of sparkling wines to 677,600 decaliters, a 5.8-percent increase.

Sales of brandies increased by 41 percent to total 242,000 decaliters, whereas those of "fruit wines" decreased by 7.9 percent to total 4,971,600 decaliters, accounting for 21.3 percent of all sales of alcoholic beverages, compared with 22 percent in the first six months of 2013.

Sales of grape wines rose by 2.6 percent to total 1,766,400 decaliters, whereas sales of low-alcohol beverages fell by 4.6 percent to total 415,200 decaliters.

Vodka accounted for 46.8 percent of all sales of alcoholic beverages, down from 47.6 percent in January-June 2013, and beer for 16.5 percent, up from 16 percent.

Pure alcohol consumption decreased by 4.8 percent year-on-year to total 4,205,600 decaliters, Belstat said. // BelaPAN