There has been a law in place for quite some time that makes it impossible to sell alcohol at certain hours. The ban applies to all regions of the Russian Federation without exception. State entities have the right to establish additional rules aimed at tightening the sale of alcoholic beverages. Why is the state struggling with excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages? What are the requirements for the sale of alcohol? These and many other questions can be answered in the article.

On restricting the sale of alcoholic beverages

In Russia there has always been a problem with the consumption of alcoholic beverages. The situation today is not the best. The amount of alcohol consumed per capita is several times higher than the norm, which is quite depressing. The authorities, concerned about the problem of drunkenness, are actively passing laws aimed at limiting the spread of alcohol.

Bans apply in a variety of areas. Everyone knows that it is forbidden to sell alcoholic beverages to minors. Recently, another point was added to this ban: a time limit on the sale of alcohol. In regions, certain hours and even days are established when the sale of alcohol is prohibited.

State powers to implement the sale of alcohol

What standards are established by Federal Law No. 171 “On the regulation of the production and circulation of alcohol”? Article 4 talks about the possibility of introducing a state monopoly on alcohol. At the same time, the powers of state bodies include:

It is about the restriction on the sale of alcohol that will be discussed further.

Reasons for restrictions and prohibitions

Alcohol is sold only during certain hours and days. Trade is not allowed everywhere, but only in specially designated places. There is a ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of majority. Why are all these rules in place? What's the point?

Unfortunately, alcoholism is one of the most important problems in Russia. Neither holiday nor grief is complete without alcohol. The reasons for the high level of alcoholism in the country are varied. This is a low standard of living, an insufficiently developed culture and much more. Perhaps even the Russian mentality is to blame for the problem, but this is a controversial statement.

Alcoholism is the source of much unhappiness. A large number of crimes and offenses are associated precisely with alcohol intoxication of citizens. The authorities must fight alcoholism in every possible way, but not through direct prohibitions, but in indirect ways: by promoting physical education and sports, educating the people, etc. We should not forget about the need to improve the standard of living. For example, take the countries of Scandinavia. The standard of living there is the highest in the world, and these states are in first place in the sobriety rating.

Prohibited places

Alcohol is not allowed to be sold in some public places, a list of which is given in Article 16 of Federal Law-171. Retail trade is prohibited in the following places:

  • military installations;
  • mobile retail outlets;
  • train stations, markets, airports;
  • public transport and transport stops;
  • Gas stations (car gas stations);
  • educational, medical and sports institutions;
  • some cultural institutions (sale of low-alcohol drinks is allowed in some places).

In case of sale of alcoholic beverages in these places, sanctions are established by law. Alcohol can be sold no closer than 150 meters from the establishments presented.

What does alcohol actually mean? According to the Government Decree “On the Prohibition of the Sale of Alcohol,” these are drinks that contain more than half a percent of ethyl alcohol. This includes vodka, wine products, beer, cider, mead and much more.

Ban days

At what hours and on what days is the sale of alcohol prohibited? The federal law gives regions the opportunity to independently introduce bans on the conditions for the sale of alcohol-containing products. Local authorities in many cities rushed to take advantage of this ban. So-called “days of sobriety” began to be introduced, when the sale of alcohol was completely prohibited. As a rule, such days are associated with children's or youth holidays. Thus, almost all Russian regions introduced a corresponding ban on the following days:


Separately, we should highlight Temperance Day, which has been celebrated every September 11 since 1911. In Central Russia, June 12 - Russia Day and September 12 - Family Communication Day are also added to the presented dates.

Can the regions even introduce a “prohibition”? Unfortunately or fortunately, local authorities do not have such powers. This will violate the requirements of several laws at once - antimonopoly, free trade, etc.

Ban hours

Over time, alcohol sales should also be dealt with by local regional authorities. There is even a whole table from which you can determine the hours of the ban on the sale of alcohol in a particular region. At the same time, a federal rule has been established, that is, a mandatory rule for everyone: the sale of alcohol is prohibited from 11 pm to 8 am. This requirement does not apply to bars, restaurants, cafes, as well as shops trading without applying duties.

In Moscow and the Moscow region there is a ban that coincides with the federal one. It is not so easy to buy alcohol in St. Petersburg: alcohol is not sold from 10 pm to 11 am. Similar time frames have been established throughout Central Russia. But in Yakutia, for example, everything is much more complicated. You can buy alcohol here only from 10 pm to 2 pm. The most stringent requirements for the sale of alcohol are established in Chechnya: it is prohibited to buy alcohol here from 10 am to 8 am.

Law on the sale of alcohol: age restrictions

The new Law Prohibiting the Sale of Alcohol at Certain Hours and Days (1995, as amended on July 29, 2017) regulates the sale of alcohol to individuals. In particular, the regulation prohibits the sale of alcohol to minors, that is, persons under 18 years of age. However, some stores have the opportunity not to sell alcohol-containing products to persons under 21 years of age.

For selling alcohol to a minor, the seller will be subject to administrative liability. However, if within 180 days (within six months) the culprit repeats the violation, he will face criminal liability.

The corpus delicti of the crime under consideration is of a formal nature. Its objective side will be the retail trade in alcohol. The intent to violate the law in this case is direct. The seller understood that the buyer may be a minor. The subject of the crime will be the seller himself - a retail worker.

Sanctions for selling alcohol during prohibited hours

For selling alcohol at night, the culprit will be fined 100 thousand rubles in accordance with Article 14.11 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation. The same punishment awaits citizens or legal entities who decide to sell “strong drinks” in inappropriate places. Additionally, such a measure of liability as confiscation of alcohol-containing products may be applied.

What will citizens or legal entities expect? persons who agreed to sell alcohol to minors? The seller as an individual will be fined from 30 thousand to 50 thousand rubles. The official will pay a fine from 100 thousand to 200 thousand rubles. A legal entity will be forced to pay the state an amount reaching half a million rubles.

Criminal prosecution will await those who violate the law repeatedly. The punishment here is a fine of up to 80 thousand rubles, or correctional labor for up to three years. A ban on holding a professional position is also possible - also for up to 3 years.

Opinions on the law

How do citizens, as well as legislators themselves, evaluate the law banning the sale of alcohol on weekends and during certain hours? Are the restrictions introduced by representatives of the legislative process effective? Initially, it was hoped that the measures taken would help significantly reduce the level of alcohol consumption by the population. Many considered the measure effective. Reducing the hours during which alcohol can be purchased should have an impact on alcohol consumption.

However, there is a group of citizens who think differently. Opponents of the law oppose the ban on the sale of alcohol on holidays. Law enforcement agencies have repeatedly reported on cases where citizens purchased alcohol either in advance or at shady spots. Opponents of the law claim that alcohol can always be purchased in advance, and restrictions or prohibitions themselves have never had a positive impact. Moreover, a citizen who purchased alcohol in large quantities in advance may lose control of himself and drink it all. The result is serious poisoning, intoxication, increased crime, etc. There are also people who believe that restrictions will lead to the development of the shadow market and their own production. In illegal outlets, alcohol sold, as a rule, is not of the best quality. This can lead to poisoning and serious harm to health. Surrogate products produced independently can even lead to death.

Despite the fact that profits from the sale of alcohol are always at a high level, there are many pitfalls in this area. This article will tell you what you definitely need to know when opening such a business.

No other way of making money will be more profitable than a business that is directly related to the sale of alcoholic beverages. The demand for alcohol-containing products is always at a high level, regardless of the economic and political situation in the country. Here, absolutely all participants in the process make a profit: from manufacturers to beverage sellers.

The production of alcohol and its circulation in the Russian Federation is strictly regulated by the state. Entrepreneurs who are planning to open their own business in this industry must take care of obtaining a license. To do this, you must provide a list of relevant documents to the authority issuing permission to sell alcohol.

Such documents, according to state approval, include the company’s charter, details, contact information, permission from official authorities, documents characterizing the object that is being licensed, also lease agreements, documents on payment of the authorized capital, certificates for registering a cash register.

You must first indicate the type of product being sold, the term of the license being received and the activity that the applicant plans to engage in.

Also, special rules have been developed for the sale of alcoholic beverages, which must be adhered to.

Read about the consumer advisory.

Regional rules for trade in alcoholic beverages

The law provides for requirements for warehouses, as well as production premises, on the basis of ownership. So, in rural areas the area should be 25 square meters. m, and in urban areas - at least 50 sq.m. The lease agreement must be drawn up for a period of 1 year or more.

The sale of alcoholic beverages, in accordance with the prescribed rule in force since January 2013, is carried out in stationary retail outlets. According to paragraph 5 of Article 16 of the Law of the Russian Federation, the sale of alcoholic beverages from 23.00 to 8.00 is prohibited. However, it is worth noting that these time frames are not relevant throughout Russia.

The following table shows what hours the above products can be purchased in different parts of the Russian Federation:

Before sending alcohol products for sale, the seller must check (by external signs) and inspect the integrity of the container, brand, information about the product, as well as its manufacturer (supplier).

Alcohol products in the sales area must be placed by type: wine, champagne, vodka, cognac, etc.

The workplace of a seller, bartender, bartender and other person selling alcohol by the glass must be equipped with special equipment and furniture, where there is measuring equipment and appropriate utensils.

According to current legislation, the sale of alcohol products should be carried out using cash registers. The buyer must receive from the seller a canceled cash receipt or other document that records the fact of purchase of the goods.

In addition, the seller is responsible for improper execution of the contract related to the retail purchase and sale of alcohol-containing liquid, based on the Civil Code of Russia and the law of the Russian Federation (Federal Law of January 9, 1996 No. 2-FZ).

Where is it prohibited to sell alcohol?

Law on the sale of alcoholic beverages

Since 2013, significant changes have occurred in the Russian Federation law on alcohol:

  1. It is prohibited to advertise alcohol in print, and on the Internet - strong alcoholic drinks.
  2. Increase in price for the cheapest bottle of vodka by 40%.
  3. All alcoholic products must have a special inscription, like on cigarettes, that is, about harm to human health.
  4. You can drink alcoholic beverages only in specially designated areas.
  5. At night, beer that has an alcohol content above 5% can no longer be purchased.

When purchasing this type of product, the consumer should see the following information:

  • name of the ingredients contained in the composition: name of various biologically active food additives used in the manufacture of the product, data on the presence in the product of components obtained using genetically modified organisms, harmful substances identified in accordance with the requirements of technical regulations;
  • nutritional value of alcoholic beverage;
  • volume of product in consumer packaging;
  • contraindications for the use of this product;
  • place of preparation/bottling of alcoholic beverages, date of manufacture and.

When selling the specified products, the merchant is obliged to attach a price tag indicating the name of the product and cost to a sample of the product available for sale. If wine is sold by the glass, then it is necessary to indicate the name and price for 100 g and 1 liter.

Public catering organizations must indicate in their price lists for strong drinks the name, volume, and price for the entire volume of alcoholic beverage in consumer packaging. In addition, the cost of a particular drink per 100 g/0.5 l must be indicated. At the first request of the buyer, the latter must provide reliable information regarding the alcoholic beverages purchased from the catering organization.

Read about quality certificates.

Fines for violating the rules of selling alcoholic beverages

Since 2014, new sanctions and a system of fines for persons engaged in activities related to the sale of alcohol have come into force. strengthened control over compliance with the rules for the sale of these products. This could lead to financial ruin for owners of small shops and catering establishments.

How much will you have to pay if a person violates the rules for selling alcoholic beverages, according to the innovations:

  • the sale of alcoholic beverages without the appropriate documents carries a penalty of 10 to 15 thousand rubles for entrepreneurs, and from 200 to 300 thousand rubles for organizations; it also provides for the possibility of confiscating alcohol for its further transfer to the state as property;
  • the sale of this type of product of counterfeit brands entails a fine for sellers in the amount of 4 to 5 thousand rubles, for organizations - from 200 to 300 thousand rubles, for entrepreneurs - from 10 to 15 thousand rubles; Also, according to the new fines, the confiscation of the entire batch of counterfeit brands of alcohol is provided. In the course of clarifying the circumstances of the current situation, it is possible to carry out;
  • violation of the procedure for submitting relevant declarations regarding the retail sale of alcohol obliges the entrepreneur to pay a fine in the amount of 5 to 10 thousand rubles, the organization - from 50 to 100 thousand rubles;
  • Failure to comply with the requirements of the government agency that controls the retail sale of alcohol will legally entail a fine for the store director from 5 to 8 thousand rubles; Failure to comply within the established time frame provides for a monetary penalty in the amount of 6 to 12 thousand rubles.

Finally, it would be right to pay attention directly to consumers and warn them that the human body completes its formation at the age of 21. Before this period, he quickly gets used to the lifestyle that a person has chosen for himself.

Ethanol, which enters the body, disrupts the activity of the brain, as well as the genitourinary, digestive, endocrine and cardiovascular systems.

People who early connected their lives with alcohol acquire such serious diseases as hypertension, tachycardia, diseases of all organs, leading to the development of malignant tumors, and often early death.

Alcohol products, which include vodka, wine and, more recently, beer, are a limited commodity. This means that the production and retail sale of alcoholic beverages is possible subject to a number of requirements. The basic one is the presence of a special permit - a license. Many restrictions relate exclusively to the process of industrial production and circulation of alcohol. We will not talk about these prohibitions. The majority of the population is concerned about one simple question - if the sale of alcohol is prohibited at night, then until what hour can you legally buy alcohol in a store? Let's figure out what time the sale of alcohol in Moscow and the Moscow region is established by law?

The main federal law establishing the requirements for the production and retail sale of alcohol is 171-FZ of November 22, 1995 “On state regulation of the production and circulation of ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products...”. Article 16 of this Law lists special requirements for the retail sale of alcohol to the public. Paragraph 9 of this article states that at the federal level the sale of alcohol is prohibited from 11 pm to 8 am the next day local time. This restriction was immediately called a kind of analogue of the “prohibition law” in the Russian version.


The main “alcohol” law of the Russian Federation

It is worth noting that federal legislation establishes the right of local authorities to introduce more stringent limits on the timing of the sale of alcohol on their territory, up to and including a complete ban on the sale of alcohol. This is evidenced by paragraph 2 of paragraph 9 of Article 16 of the “main alcohol” law of the country. In many ways, it was this norm that became the reason for the genuine interest of consumers in regional times for the sale of alcohol. It differs significantly in many regions.

Exception to the rules for catering and "duty free"

The rule establishing the hours for the sale of alcohol at the federal level also introduces an exception to this rule. Thus, the ban on the sale of alcohol from 11 pm to 8 am the next day local time does not apply to public catering - cafes and restaurants, as well as duty-free shops.

Time for the sale of alcohol in Moscow and the Moscow region

Today, control over the alcohol industry is divided between Rosalkogolregulirovanie, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, and regional authorities. Moreover, if industrial production and turnover are placed under the control of federal officials, then retail sales are controlled by regional authorities. In this regard, in many regions local regulations, orders and laws have been issued that, along with the time of sale of alcohol, establish additional restrictions on circulation in a specific subject of the Russian Federation. You need to look for the time of sale of alcohol in a specific region there.

First, let's look at the capital's legislation. In Moscow, the regional legal act establishing restrictions and prohibitions on the sale of alcohol is Moscow Government Decree No. 1069-PP dated December 28, 2005. Appendix No. 2 of this Resolution specifies additional restrictions and conditions for the sale of alcoholic beverages in the capital. There are no references to the time of sale of alcohol in Moscow legislation.

In Moscow, the federal time limit for the sale of alcohol is from 11 pm to 8 am the next day. Thus, in the capital you can buy alcohol in a store until 11 pm.

In the Moscow region, Law No. 40/2012-OZ “On the retail sale of alcoholic beverages in the Moscow region” was adopted on April 27, 2012. According to Article 2 of this law, the Moscow Regional Duma has the right to introduce restrictions on the sale of alcohol, including a complete ban on the sale of alcohol to the public. However, currently there is no rule regarding the time of sale of alcohol in the regional law.

In the Moscow region, you cannot legally buy alcohol from 11 pm to 8 am the next day.

Let us summarize the results of the analysis of the regional legislation of Moscow and the Moscow region on the regulation of retail sales of alcohol. If you decide to buy alcohol in a capital or regional store, then you can do this before 11 pm and from 8 am, due to the fact that in Moscow and the Moscow region there is a federal ban on the sale of alcohol from 11 pm to 8 am the following morning. day.

Let us remind you that this ban does not apply to legal catering establishments. In this regard, during the “prohibition” law, the only way to drink “hot” drinks is to visit and order them in a restaurant, cafe or club. At the same time, these catering establishments must have the appropriate permit - a license.

Do you support a ban on the sale of alcohol in Moscow and the Moscow region from 11 pm to 8 am?

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Responsibility for selling alcohol during prohibited hours

If a store seller or cashier refuses to sell alcohol within the specified time, then his actions are illegal. Unfortunately, this situation is much less common than the desire to sell alcohol to the population around the clock. To suppress the actions of enterprising alcohol sellers, the Code of Administrative Offenses provides for Part 3 of Article 14.16, which introduces a fine for violating the rules for the sale of alcohol.

The director of a store selling alcohol at night will be punished with a fine of up to 10 thousand rubles, and the store itself, as a legal entity, will be punished with a fine of up to 100 thousand rubles with confiscation of alcoholic products. There are no fines for citizens who purchase alcohol during prohibited hours.

Do not forget that most retail outlets that sell alcohol to the population at night, as a rule, operate illegally, and their alcoholic products are often of dubious quality.

The government of the Russian Federation is taking quite tough and categorical measures to combat the spread of alcoholism. To achieve this, various measures are being taken and laws are being introduced that are designed to limit the circulation of alcohol-containing products.

The oldest but most effective policy is Federal Law No. 171, adopted in 1995.

According to its regulations, alcoholic beverages must be sold exclusively in stores licensed for sale. It is also intended to limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages in the Russian Federation.

This measure is caused by many different circumstances: the percentage of citizens dependent on alcohol is 47-50%, the birth rate of the non-drinking population has decreased, and the natural population has decreased. This law on the prohibition of alcohol has a set of rules and restrictions that every citizen of the Russian Federation should know.

During the entire existence of Federal Law 171, amendments and new provisions were made to it. Since the turnover of alcoholic beverages is growing exponentially (and this is due to high demand among the population), the government had to take strict measures regarding the distribution of alcohol.

What does the law say?


The main scope of this Federal Law No. 171 is to reduce the production of alcohol by persons who do not have permission to do so. As you can see, the number of underground shops that illegally produce alcohol increases several times every year. This is dangerous not only for the country’s economy, but also for the health of citizens.

Various chemical additives, low-quality alcohol and much more are mixed into these alcoholic products, which leads to direct poisoning, and in worst cases, death. Due to changes in the regulations of this law, measures to combat alcoholism have become significantly stricter.

Federal Law 171 also calls for limiting alcohol consumption to the standards established by the state.

There were two reasons for this:

  1. Protecting the interests of citizens. Over the past few years, cases of robbery, robbery, and violence by persons who were heavily intoxicated have become more frequent. In other words, this law includes not only a reduction in drinking in the country, but also protecting the safety of the non-drinking population.
  2. The number of people consuming alcohol has increased significantly. Based on the latest disappointing statistics, for the previous 2016, the number of people drinking alcohol in unlimited quantities increased by 12.3% throughout Russia. In other words, a tenth of the population became alcoholics.

Alcoholism has long been recognized as the apogee of the 21st century, because this disease is difficult to cure, much less eradicate.

Who circumvents the law


The federal law has a significant list of cases (exceptions) in which it is not valid or everything is carried out within the permissible norm.

So, what cases (individuals) circumvent this law:

  • individuals who produce alcoholic products not for sale;
  • any pharmaceutical products containing ethyl alcohol;
  • official organizations and enterprises that have received a state license to permit the production of alcohol. It is worth noting that the installations contain a monthly production rate, which should not be exceeded.
  • individuals distributing alcoholic products as a presentation to the market or as representative samples. This case relates to the field of marketing and international relations.

To summarize, it turns out that alcohol-containing products used for private purposes (with the exception of sales), contained in pharmacies and used as advertising products are the norm, which is allowed by Federal Law No. 171.

Sales and prices


This law also regulates the market value of alcohol-containing products. All price changes must occur exclusively at the request of the state. Independent increase in the cost of an alcohol-containing product for the purpose of profit is punishable by criminal liability with complete confiscation of unsold alcoholic products.

Each bottle of alcohol must meet government safety standards and be tested for acceptable consumption. On December 30, 2001, it was decided that a tax stamp attached to the cap or bottom of the bottle would serve as a guarantee of safe consumption by citizens, as well as a licensed product.

The presence of such a brand is a mandatory requirement for products present in commercial circulation, manufactured by private individuals, but with a license for production activities.

Thus, over the course of several years, the turnover of unlicensed products, which were potentially dangerous to the life of the person consumed, has decreased.

Unfortunately, during this time, the number of the country’s drinking population has increased, which indicates the need to introduce new bills and amendments to reduce the turnover of alcohol-containing products and protect as many citizens as possible from consuming it.

What powers does this law give to law enforcement agencies?


Federal Law No. 171 granted a wide range of powers to law enforcement agencies.

Guided by the regulations of this law, police officers have the right (or obligation) to perform the following actions:

  • in the absence of a license to sell alcohol, law enforcement officers are required to seize uncertified goods until the distributor receives a license (if he is an LLC or individual entrepreneur). If a private person was engaged in sales without a license, then he is prescribed a fine in the amount of double payment of the cost of all products with its subsequent confiscation;
  • all underground organizations producing alcohol illegally must be discovered and closed;
  • If a police officer sees a citizen drinking in the wrong place, he is obliged to pay attention to this, ask for documents and get rid of the alcohol. if a citizen resists, uses abusive language or is in a state of severe alcoholic intoxication, he must be detained and taken to the police station with subsequent transfer to a sobering-up center;
  • If illegally stored products are discovered, they must be seized by a police officer and delivered to the police station.

As can be seen from the above powers of law enforcement officials, the government is trying not only to reduce the number of underground enterprises and uncertified products, but also to protect Russian citizens from people suffering from alcoholism.

Repeated cases have been recorded when people, while heavily intoxicated, behaved inappropriately and showed acts of aggression towards non-drinking citizens. Such a person must be detained and taken to a sobering center.

Is criminal liability prescribed under this law?


The legislation of the Russian Federation has a wide range of penalties related to the sale, consumption and production of alcohol. Federal Law No. 171 contains a number of regulations, violation of which threatens to result in criminal or administrative liability of varying severity.

So, what actions are punishable under the alcohol law:

  1. financing of underground (illegal) production for the purpose of further marketing of products. This offense is punishable by administrative liability in the form of a fine in the amount of 500,000 rubles, followed by confiscation of the products produced;
  2. to the above article you can add the illegal supply of equipment necessary to produce alcohol in independent conditions;
  3. storage of alcohol in large quantities for the purpose of further sale. Punishable by administrative liability;
  4. production of alcohol-containing products that categorically do not comply with quality and safety standards for citizens. In this case, there is also criminal liability if the consumption of low-quality alcohol leads to serious consequences for the user;
  5. transportation of alcohol-containing products across the border for the purpose of further sale. Exceptions are cases where this fact was recorded and the appropriate permission was taken from the competent authorities.

Of the smaller offenses against the state, punishment follows:

  • drinking alcohol in public places;
  • being in a crowded place while intoxicated, displaying an act of aggression, violence, any form of inappropriate behavior;
  • purchase or sale of alcohol to persons under 18 years of age, which is strictly prohibited by Russian legislation;
  • sale of unlicensed products.

It is worth noting that over the past few years, the consumption level has dropped significantly. If previously teenagers aged 17 and older used to drink alcohol, recently this level has dropped to a sad 14-15 years.

According to experts, in 5-6 years, the number of drinkers in Russia will reach 60-62% of the total population of the country.

Alcoholic drinks that are prohibited for sale and consumption


There is a small list of alcohol-containing drinks prohibited for sale in any stores. As a rule, this is alcohol that does not have a brand, the permissible dosage is exceeded (over 45% per 0.5 liters) and alcohol that contains various chemical additives.

But it is worth remembering that alcohol in combination with various chemicals can lead to poisoning and intoxication.

As for high-proof drinks, the norm is 45% for a container with a volume of 0.5. As a rule, manufacturers of high-percentage products cannot guarantee that the use of such drinks will end successfully.

If we turn to medicine, pure ethyl alcohol can burn the entire mucous membrane in the gastrointestinal tract, cause burns to the oral cavity and cause stomach ulcers. Therefore, Federal Law No. 171 stated that the use (sale) of an alcohol-containing drink, the degree of which exceeds the permissible limit, is prohibited.

The only use of pure ethyl alcohol is alcohol compresses used in medicine. In other areas of life, these products are strictly prohibited. Unfortunately, on store shelves you can often find high-percentage products, the use of which can lead to very disastrous consequences.

The procedure and rules for the sale of alcohol are constantly changing and supplemented.

The latest innovations have occurred since the beginning of January 2018.

The new rules are primarily aimed at combating suppliers and sellers of counterfeit alcohol products and protecting buyers.

How can you be sure that you bought quality alcohol? How to avoid becoming a victim of scammers? We will try to answer these and many other questions.

Law on the sale of alcohol

The procedure for the circulation of alcoholic products is regulated by No. 171-FZ “On the regulation of the circulation and production of epilogue alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products.”

To control alcohol sales, a special EGAIS system has been operating for more than 10 years.. This abbreviation stands for Unified State Automated Information System.

The purpose of the Unified State Automated Information System is to exercise strict control over the circulation of alcoholic products. In practice, this means that entrepreneurs who sell alcohol at retail are obliged to provide information about themselves to the EGAIS system.

Moreover, every purchase of an alcoholic drink (even beer and low-alcohol drinks) can be accounted for. It turns out that even if an entrepreneur sold only 1 bottle of beer per day, this information necessarily passes through the automated system.

Rules for the supply of alcohol

Control by the EGAIS system is carried out already at the first stage - receiving an order from the manufacturer of alcoholic beverages.

To record the purchase of alcohol in an automated system, a commodity accounting program that supports EGAIS is installed on the company’s computer.

The data entered into the program and the amount of alcohol purchased must match exactly.

If a shortage is discovered when checking the order, the buyer can:

  • reject the supplier's invoice and agree to draw up a new one;
  • draw up a data discrepancy report.

Attention

It is necessary to act in the same way if the excise tax is found to be damaged or does not meet the requirements of the law. If the transfer of alcohol according to the invoice is carried out without any discrepancies, then all information about the completed deliveries is entered into the automated system.

In addition, all purchase information is also entered into the cash register program, which includes the following information:

  • each bottle must have a brand;
  • the stamp has a barcode;
  • the code, in turn, contains information about the manufacturer, its manufacturing license, and other information about the product.

Rules for trade in alcoholic beverages

After signing the invoice and placing the data in a specialized reporting program, the seller can offer alcoholic beverages for sale.

Before sales, all containers with alcohol are scanned so that they can later be displayed on sales receipts.

After the sale, the program issues a receipt with information about the point of sale and a barcode.

It is with this sequence of actions that data on all sales will be recorded in the EGIAS system. It doesn’t matter how many units of products the buyer purchased, he will receive a receipt in one copy.

If the product code cannot be scanned, this means that this alcoholic product was produced illegally, but it is possible that the problem is in the system, which can sometimes go wrong.

If the Internet is disconnected at the point of sale, the program will automatically save data about each scanned product. After the connection is restored, the system will be able to transfer information to the Unified State Register of Automated Information System (EGIAS) without outside help.

Who will be affected by the innovations?

The new rules for the sale of alcoholic beverages apply to all retail outlets:

  • the shops;
  • restaurants;
  • bars;
  • other establishments that sell alcohol.

If entrepreneurs are exclusively engaged in sales of beer, mead, cider, and various low-alcohol drinks, then they also do not fall into the category of exceptions and are required to provide information to the Unified State Register of Automation and Autonomy (EGIAS) system.

Sellers of low-alcohol drinks must send goods through the automated system from January 1 of this year. Owners of cafes and restaurants also undertake to record the purchase of alcoholic beverages. This means that all establishments where alcohol is sold must install a program that supports EGAIS.

True, for some entrepreneurs a temporary exemption from registration in the EGAIS system has been established.

  • retailers in Crimea;
  • in remote settlements where the population does not exceed 3 thousand inhabitants and there are problems with the Internet connection. The delay in implementing the program in this case is 1 year. However, this relief applies to the sale of alcohol; such entrepreneurs are not exempt from accounting for purchases;
  • factories and companies that produce low-alcohol drinks and beer in quantities of no more than 3 thousand deciliters;
  • Catering establishments that sell only beer and low-alcohol products are exempt from providing sales reports;
  • enterprises that produce wine and champagne based on their own grown grapes.

There are more and more online stores that sell alcohol. However, rules have not yet been adopted obliging online platforms to keep records of sales. In the near future, there are also plans to limit the time frame for selling alcohol online.

Sales accounting

All entrepreneurs who sell alcohol must keep a logbook where data on sales of alcoholic beverages and the characteristics of the product are entered. In particular, the following data is entered into the journal:

  • code, name and number of the product;
  • Date of sale;
  • data on the number of units of production and its displacement;
  • alcohol unit type code.

It is not necessary to enter data on the supply of goods into the journal, but a special form for maintaining such a document has been established. It is allowed to keep sales records in paper or electronic form. Based on sales accounting data, a tax return is filled out (filled out once a quarter).

Information

Maintaining a sales journal and accounting through EGAIS must be done separately.

Responsibility for violating the rules of alcohol sales

If an entrepreneur decides to refuse to connect to the automated system, he will bear responsibility.

If the seller has not established a unified accounting system, then the sale of alcoholic beverages of any strength is prohibited. In this case, administrative liability arises for selling alcoholic beverages without the proper package of documents.

Legal entities are subject to a fine of up to a maximum of 20 thousand, and for citizens a fine of up to 15 thousand.

Responsibility also arises for those sellers who do not scan the goods when selling.

In case of serious violations of the new rules, the entrepreneur may even lose his license. Since the actions of the entrepreneur are regarded as carrying out illegal trade in alcohol.

Warning

For systemic violation of the law, the seller of alcohol can be held criminally liable and punished with a fine of 80 thousand or correctional labor for up to one year. The violator will also be prohibited from selling alcoholic beverages for up to 3 years.

Selling alcohol without a license

In addition to maintaining records in EGAIS, you will need to obtain a license to sell alcohol. To obtain a permit to sell alcohol, an entrepreneur must submit:

  • application for a license of the established form;
  • duty payment receipts;
  • constituent documentation;
  • certificate from the tax authority;
  • conclusion from the Ministry of Emergency Situations;
  • certificate of absence of debt from the Federal Tax Service;
  • Goskomstat codes;
  • lease agreement or ownership of commercial premises.

A trade license is issued for a different period: from 1 year to 5 years. After the expiration date, the permit can be renewed. But in order to renew the license, the application must be submitted two months before the expiration of the permit to sell alcohol.

The state duty for each type of alcohol license is 40 thousand rubles, and for wholesale sales you need to pay from 500 thousand rubles.

The law also has restrictions on when alcohol can be sold. Entrepreneurs are prohibited from dispensing alcoholic beverages from 23:00 to 08:00. An exception is established only for duty-free retail outlets and catering establishments. If necessary, the constituent entities of the Russian Federation may separately establish rules on the places and conditions for the sale of alcohol.