The founder of “Red and White” responded to accusations of alcoholism in the Vologda governorate region

“First of all, our stores are not alcohol markets, but convenience stores, that is, stores within walking distance. In alcohol markets the proportion of alcohol sales is 80 to 90%, in ours it is less than a quarter, everything else is food, drinks, daily use items and tobacco,” said the businessman.

He also suggested that most deaths are not associated with “the consumption of high-quality brand-name alcohol, but with low-quality products, counterfeit products and illegal alcohol.” According to Studennikov, Russia is a sober country “thanks to retail trade and legal manufacturers.”

On October 10, during an operational meeting, Filimonov announced plans to remove alcohol markets from the regional market. “We have some surprises in store for Bristol and Red and White. I give you a hint: they will leave the Vologda region market because we will adopt legislation and announce it in the near future,” he emphasized (quoted by RBC).

Later that month, Filimonov announced that the region was preparing a bill that would allow the sale of alcohol on weekdays only for two hours a day, from 12:00 to 14:00. “The Vologda region and northern Russia are disappearing. <...> 71% of the deaths of our compatriots of working age are related to alcohol,” the governor highlighted. He said the project should come into force in March 2025.

In April, a law came into force in Russia giving regional authorities the right to ban the retail sale of beer and other alcoholic beverages in nalivayki. Similar restrictions will begin to apply from March 1, 2025, for example, in the Tomsk region.