Russians have become more active in visiting various bars, pubs, wine bars, taverns, liquor and other drinking establishments. According to Yandex.Maps, in October 2024 their number in the country increased by 23% compared to last year and reached 9.2 thousand establishments. The TopFranchize.ru portal provides more modest data: only 7% year-on-year. The fact is that alcohol consumption is gradually moving from home to public places. I wonder how this fits in with the overall alcohol reduction numbers.
“I don’t see any particular decline,” said Vadim Drobiz, director of the Research Center for Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets, in an interview with KP.RU. – What we see in the statistical data reflects, strictly speaking, not consumption, but sales; They are slightly different things.
But there are also other reasons why Russians prefer to consume alcohol not at home, but in companies, and not only in companies, but in drinking establishments.
“First of all, it is a change in the demographic situation,” says Drobiz. – Since 2020-21 the number of young people has begun to grow, and these are the main visitors to bars and wine bars, they are people especially attracted by communication and new friendships.
The second reason, the expert cited as the general state of tension in the political situation in the world.
“People have a need to relieve stress and discuss issues that concern them,” Drobiz clarified the connection between these phenomena.
The third reason is the growth of Russian income.
– The income of many Russians has increased; maybe not enough to buy an apartment or a car, but enough to afford a drink or two at a cultural institution.
There are different reasons why Russians prefer to consume alcohol not at home, but in companies, and not only in companies, but in drinking establishments.
Photo: Evgenia GUSEVA. Go to Photobank KP
There is a fourth reason for the growth of this type of establishments.
“Compared to other countries, compared to other countries, we have very few bars and wine bars,” the expert noted. – What 9.2 thousand indicated were shot glasses and liquor. And the total number of establishments, including bars, is approximately 50 thousand. But this is not enough: in Paris alone there are perhaps more than in all of Russia.
That is why the number of these places will continue to increase, Drobiz noted.
Other alcohol market experts point out that glass drinks are profitable and their profitability reaches 42%. The prices are quite high and the democratic format does not require so much staff. A significant part of the clubbing crowd has moved to wine bars that open late. Another “trick” of the wine glasses is that they offer several exclusive liquors in a “nowhere else but here!” style. The profit margin on these types of drinks can reach 700%.
Quote on the topic
– Maybe you should buy a bottle and drink it at home?
– This is a completely different matter.
– Yes, that’s true…
Ernest Hemingway, “Where It’s Clean and Bright.”
