According to a report issued by the Russian Economy Ministry, the Russian alcohol market is stagnating.
Sales of alcohol products slowed down in 2005 and 2006. About 550 million litres of alcoholic drinks was sold in the first five months of this year, only 0.1 percent more than in the corresponding period of last year.
Sales of vodka dropped 3.9 percent but beer sales increased by 8.2 percent on the year, against a 1.6 percent increase in the same period of 2005.