The share of beer in excise taxes has grown to record levels: a comparison of 2023-2024 shows an acceleration in the growth of the industry against the background of commodity restrictions
The share of the brewing industry in the excise revenues of the federal budget continues to increase: By the end of 2024, fees from beer and beer drinks reached 245 billion rubles, which is significantly higher than 213 billion a year earlier. In relative terms, the increase was 15%, and the category itself surpassed vodka for the first time (213 billion rubles) and almost ten times exceeded excise revenues from wine and cognac. The visual structure of excise taxes shows that in 2023 the distribution was more balanced, but already in 2024 the outer ring of the chart is significantly expanding due to the beer segment, while the contribution of other categories is growing much more slowly.
The context of recent years confirms the steady strengthening of the industry. If in 2020-2022 beer revenues ranged from 171-197 billion rubles, then after the restoration of consumption and a change in the market structure in 2023 they reached 213 billion rubles, and in 2024 they updated the historical maximum. The year was the first when beer confidently consolidated its leadership in alcohol excise taxes and became the de facto “anchor” of budget fees, providing the largest contribution among all fermented beverages and distillates.
The market structure also reinforces this trend. The three largest producers — Baltika, Beverages Together and Bochkarev Breweries — accumulate about 63.4% of output and, according to StatBeer estimates, provided almost 154 billion rubles of excise taxes in 2024, that is, more than 75% of all revenues by category. Baltika paid about 61.1 billion rubles, Beverages Together — about 66.2 billion, Bochkarev Breweries — about 27 billion rubles. The rest of the market adds up to only a quarter of the fiscal base.
However, the acceleration of excise dynamics occurs against the background of limitations of the raw materials and technical base of brewing. Russian hop producers cover only 5-7% of the industry’s needs, and equipment and components remain highly dependent on external suppliers. While the domestic market continues to grow, this structural imbalance poses risks to margins and sustainability, especially during periods of logistical volatility and import disruptions.
According to industry players, further strengthening of the segment is possible only with the systematic support of localization of raw materials and technologies. The APP notes that comprehensive regulation of fermentation beverages, the development of hop farming, preferential loans for the modernization of factories and support for manufacturers of spare parts could reduce cost pressures and increase the predictability of investments.
Thus, the comparison of 2023 and 2024 demonstrates not just a recovery, but a structural redistribution of the excise base in favor of the brewing industry. Receipts are growing faster than output, the largest players are increasing their dominance, and the category itself is becoming central to the budget system of the alcohol market. In the long term, the key factor for sustainability will be the speed of import substitution and the expansion of the raw material base. It depends on whether the industry can consolidate record financial results and reduce strategic vulnerabilities.
