Putin signed a law on the complete transfer of digital labeling of imported alcohol to the Russian Federation

2025: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on the complete transfer of digital labeling of imported alcohol to the Russian Federation

President RFVladimir Putin signed a law on labeling imported alcoholic beverages with federal special brands (FSM) only in Russia. The document was published in April 2025 on the official portal of legal information. According to the law, stamps must be applied to imported and produced alcohol in the Russian Federation within nine months from the date of their receipt by the applicant. New labeling standards will take effect in the Russian Federation from September 1, 2025.^[1]

2024

Imported alcohol will now be digitally labeled in Russia, not abroad

On November 22, 2024, it became known that the Russian government approved a bill on the complete transfer of labeling of imported alcoholic beverages with federal special brands (FSM) to the country. The new order will come into force on March 1, 2026.

According to Interfax, since 2021, an experiment has been carried out in Russia to label imported alcohol in customs warehouses, in which 11 regions of the country participate.

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Фото: Freepik

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov stressed that it is necessary to prepare a bill banning the labeling of imported alcohol abroad and transferring it to the territory of Russia.

The experiment involves Moscow and the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, Tatarstan, Krasnodar Territory, as well as Bryansk, Vladimir, Kaliningrad, Pskov and Smolensk regions. Importing organizations and warehouse owners join the program on a voluntary basis.

The government will be empowered to approve the requirements for places of alcohol labeling and determine the specifics of the movement of such products from the border to the labeling points.

The changes are aimed at ensuring independence from the services of unfriendly countries and eliminating the risks of banning labeling on their territory of alcoholic beverages planned for import into Russia.

The implementation of the project will contribute to the creation of new infrastructure facilities, jobs and the formation of new logistics routes in Russia. It is also expected to upgrade and increase warehouse capacity.

According to the current rules, alcohol labeling with federal special brands should be carried out before the import of products into Russia. The experiment on the transfer of labeling inside the country began with the Kaliningrad region.^[2]

Digital labeling of low-alcohol products is launched in Russia

In mid-May 2024, it became known about the imminent start of an experiment on digital labeling of low-alcohol products: it will be held from July 1, 2024 and will last until August 31, 2025.

According to RIA Novosti, citing a government decree, we are talking about an experiment "to place marking codes in machine-readable form on federal special brands for marking certain types of alcoholic beverages with an ethyl alcohol content (strength) in finished products up to nine percent inclusive."

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Фото: Unsplash

As part of the experiment, the excise stamp, which is attached to low-alcohol products, will place identification tools with a marking code of the Honest Sign system. Importers and wholesale and retail organizations, as well as manufacturers of alcoholic cocktails, can become its participants. Participation in the project is voluntary.

It is assumed that the experiment will allow "to work out the optimal technologies for applying identification tools to selected goods" and integrate the Honest Sign marking system with the EGAIS and Goznak systems.

It is noted that the experiment is carried out within the framework of the Strategy to counter the illegal trafficking of industrial products in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2025 and the Strategy of State Policy in the Field of Consumer Protection for the period up to 2030.

The head of the Center for the Development of National Alcohol Policy Pavel Shapkin, in a conversation with Izvestia, supported an experiment on labeling low-alcohol cocktails. According to him, the main problem in this market is that such drinks are sold under the guise of other products in the so-called bottlers, which are located in residential buildings.^[3]

2023

Mandatory digital labeling of beer and alcohol in aluminum cans has been launched in Russia

On January 15, 2024, a mandatory digital marking of beer and alcohol in aluminum cans was launched in Russia. This is provided for by the relevant decree of the government of the Russian Federation, which was previously signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

Previously, labeling was already in effect for drinks in kegs, glass and plastic bottles. Since mid-January 2024, it has become mandatory for sale on a spill. Stores and other enterprises selling beer for spillage must transmit data on equipment connection and sales volumes through cash registers to the marking system.

Mandatory digital labeling of beer and alcohol in aluminum cans has been launched in Russia

According to the operator of the Honest Sign system, by mid-January 2024, more than 54.5 thousand retail market participants selling beer for spill were registered in the state labeling system. They confirmed their readiness for a new stage of labeling.

The group of companies "Brewery House" Bavaria "said that participation in the electronic accounting system helps in the fight against counterfeit goods.

This is relevant, since earlier cases of counterfeiting of our products were repeatedly identified, we prepared in advance for the third stage of the system's implementation, and from January 15 we will begin to label all beer in aluminum cans, - said production director Azamat Tskhovrebov, quoted by the CRPT.

The introduction of labeling and traceability of beer products will be carried out in stages until 2025. The next step is to sell keg beer without a marking code from April 1, 2024.

According to Kirill Volkov, head of the excisable goods department at the CRPT, by mid-January 2024, an increase in the legal production of beer and low-alcohol drinks by 20.8% is recorded. And after the introduction of traceability of sales, a similar positive dynamics is expected in the entire distribution chain, he is sure.^[4]

Introduction of mandatory labelling of beer, poire, mead and cider in glass and polymer containers

From October 1, 2023, mandatory digital labeling of beer and low-alcohol drinks (poiret, mead, cider) began in Russia. The innovation concerns drinks packed in glass and polymer packaging.

All participants in the turnover must register in the "Honest Sign" system. Manufacturers and importers should also describe their products in the national product catalogue and prepare to apply identification to the packaging:

• Order and pay for codes
• Send reports to the labeling system
• Enter the codes in circulation.

Mandatory digital labeling of beer and low-alcohol drinks has begun

Manufacturers apply identification means to products at the place of production. Importers need to organize the process of labeling goods in the country of production or independently label products in a customs warehouse before the goods cross the Russian border.

According to Revaz Yusupov, Deputy General Director of the CRPT (operator of the state marking system "Honest Sign"), the pace of preparation of the industry for the beginning of mandatory labeling of beer in glass and polymer packaging was one of the highest for all years of the introduction of the "Honest Sign."

We are confident that the purification of the market from illegal products will be carried out in the same record time, "he said.

Vladislav Zaslavsky, director of the department for the system of digital labeling of goods and legalization of product turnover of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, believes that illegal beer turnover in Russia in two years may decrease by 30% due to the introduction of labeling.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CRPT Mikhail Dubin noted that thanks to labeling, the business receives new analytical opportunities. In addition, legal manufacturers will be able to increase their market share by reducing the "gray" turnover, he added.^[5]

Mandatory digital beer labeling introduced in Russia

On April 1, 2023 Russia , the mandatory digital labeling beer and low-alcohol drinks in kegs is introduced. This was preceded by an experiment that lasted almost two years and ended on February 28. 359 companies took part in it.

Beer marking in kegs is carried out using stickers. However, the next stages of labeling - on plastic and glass bottles, as well as on an aluminum can - will be much more technologically complex. Losses from the wrong choice of application technology can reach tens and hundreds of millions of rubles a year for large manufacturers, Anton Kharitonov, executive director of the marking equipment manufacturer Antares Vision Group in Russia, told RIA Novosti.

Beer marking in kegs is carried out using stickers

The introduction of labeling is due to the high share of illegal circulation of beer and beer drinks. In 2021, the share of illegal turnover increased by 9.4 percentage points, reaching 16.6% of total production. The shortfall in budget revenues from excise-free beer is estimated annually at up to 30 billion rubles.

It is noted that labeling will not affect prices for consumers, since the contribution of labeling to the increase in cost will not exceed 0.43% over six years. The budgetary effect of the introduction of labeling is estimated at more than 38.6 billion rubles a year, despite the fact that the balance of income and expenses of the state and business will amount to 265.1 billion rubles.

On March 29, 2023, it became known that the Ministry of Industry and Trade proposes to conduct an experiment on labeling some soft drinks, in particular juices. It is planned to hold it from May 15, 2023 to February 1, 2024. Deputy General Director of CRPTRevaz Yusupov noted that by the end of March 2023, more than 62% of soft drink manufacturers are already familiar with the labeling.^[6]

2020

Putin instructed to introduce digital beer labeling

The President Russia Vladimir Putin ordered experiments on labeling packaged drinking water, beer and low-alcohol drinks. The Kremlin announced this on October 13, 2020.

Ensure that experiments on labeling by means of identification of packaged drinking water, brewing products and low-alcohol drinks are carried out and, taking into account their results, decide to introduce mandatory labeling of these product groups, the text of the order published on the Kremlin website says.

The order of the head of state must be fulfilled by April 1, 2021, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has been appointed responsible for the implementation.

The President of the Russian Federation instructed to introduce digital beer labeling

In early September 2020, Mishustin supported the launch of labeling of drinking water and beer in Russia. According to the head of government, it is important to continue moving and expand the range of labeled goods.

Manturov in an interview with Izvestia said that the volume of the illegal beer market can range from 5 to 12%. In addition to the direct threats this situation creates for consumers, budget losses can reach 22 billion rubles a year, the minister noted.

By October 2020, beer sellers report to EGAIS on the fact of purchasing products and maintain a retail sales log. The path of each individual bottle cannot be traced. Marking beer with excise stamps by analogy with labeling strong alcohol is technically difficult due to the high speed of the bottling line: 90 thousand bottles/hour for beer and 20 thousand bottles/hour for strong alcohol.

If you add equipment for applying "excise taxes," the productivity will decrease, the brewers warned. Therefore, it was proposed to use Data Matrix labeling with codes. With its help, the state will track the movements of each bottle of beer, as well as canisters and keg. This idea was supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.^[7]

Ministry of Finance: RFID-marking of alcohol will not provide state control over it and will only increase business costs

At the end of July 2020, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation criticized the idea of ​ ​ RFID labeling of alcohol. This initiative, according to the department, will not provide state control over it and will only increase the costs of companies.

As the press service of the Ministry of Finance explained to Izvestia, such labeling is more expensive than the federal special and excise stamps used (for domestic and imported alcohol, respectively), which "ensure proper traceability of alcoholic beverages."

President of the Union of Alcohol Producers (SPAP) Igor Kosarev estimated the additional costs of purchasing RFID tags, equipment for them, as well as maintenance costs of more than 10.5 billion rubles. In this regard, alcohol may rise in price by 10-15%, and in this case there is a possibility that some buyers will switch to cheaper illegal alcohol.

Ministry of Finance: RFID-marking of alcohol will not provide state control over it and will only increase business costs

Vadim Drobiz, head of the Center for Research on Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets, does not see the need to introduce additional labeling of alcohol. Federal special and excise stamps are quite seriously protected - by analogy with banknotes - they are no longer forged. The fact is that in legal retail it is impossible to sell alcohol with forged brands, and for illegal retail they are not needed at all. The existing EGAIS system, which is focused on excise taxes, is enough for the market. The expert agrees that such labeling will raise prices for alcohol, because the cost of the tag itself, excluding equipment and its maintenance, is quite high: more than 10 rubles.

Since 2006, the state system of accounting for alcohol EGAIS has been operating on the Russian alcohol market. Its implementation required significant costs both from the state and from market participants, said Igor Kosarev.^[8]

Experiment on the labeling of alcoholic beverages using RFID

July 22, 2020 Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation announced an experiment on the labeling of alcoholic beverages using radio frequency tags (). RFID The plant will deal with the supply of chips. "Micron

As explained in the department, by July 22, 2020, Micron is the only manufacturer of integrated circuits and full-cycle semiconductor products in Russia with the necessary competencies. As part of the implementation of a pilot project on the labeling of alcoholic beverages with federal special and excise stamps using radio frequency tags, Micron will not be provided with access to EGAIS, as well as to information resources and means ensuring the use of radio frequency tags for labeling alcoholic beverages, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade will be engaged in marking alcohol with RFID tags

They also report that the widespread use of RFID technologies in alcohol labeling is due to a number of unique advantages, including:

• reducing the operating costs of participants in the circulation of alcoholic beverages by optimizing internal processes (solving problems for optimizing logistics);
• the difficulty of counterfeiting RFID tags, since this requires expensive equipment and special skills.

The term of the experiment on electronic labeling of bottles of alcohol in Russia is from January 1 to July 1, 2021. Then the mass use of radio tags for alcoholic beverages will begin. Types of alcoholic beverages for the pilot project will be determined closer to the beginning of the experiment by authorized federal executive bodies.

RFID labeling of all major product groups is planned to be implemented by 2024. The Ministry of Industry and Trade began preparations for an experiment on labeling alcohol with RFID tags following a meeting with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on March 25, 2020.^[9]

Total Turnover Control System

• State Information System for Marking Goods
• Counterfeit Goods Monitoring System
• National Commodity Traceability System (NSP)
• CRPT: National Catalogue
• System of accounting (marking) of tobacco products
• Monitoring of Drug Product Movement
• Digital labeling of footwear products
• Mineral and potable bottled water labeling
• Labeling of dairy products
• RFID-labeling of alcohol in Russia
• Perfume labelling
• State system in the field of control over the turnover of precious metals, precious stones and products from them (GIIS DMDK)
• Marking of fur coats and fur products
• Animal labelling

• A system of total control of trade turnover is being created in Russia

Notes