Russian government plans to resume inspections of tobacco and alcohol companies to curb counterfeits

The Russian government is considering resuming inspections of companies selling alcohol and tobacco to address the issue of counterfeit products.

According to a report by newdaynews on October 10, the Russian government is contemplating the resumption of inspections for companies selling alcohol and tobacco products. This initiative is seen as a crucial step in combating counterfeit goods. It has been revealed that the Ministry of Economic Development has received a directive from the Cabinet for research on this matter.

Sultan Hamzaev, a member of the State Duma and deputy head of the cross-party working group, has called for the resumption of inspections for companies specializing in the sale of alcohol and tobacco. He pointed out that low-quality alcohol and tobacco products could harm consumer health, referencing large-scale alcohol poisoning incidents earlier this year in Samara, Ulyanovsk, Penza, Nizhny Novgorod, Kurgan regions, as well as Chuvashia and Udmurtia.

To stabilize economic development and reduce the burden on businesses, the government suspended planned inspections of small, medium, and large enterprises in March last year. This policy was initially set to last until the end of 2022 but has been extended twice, ultimately set to last until 2030.

Hamzaev believes that resuming inspections of companies selling tobacco and alcoholic beverages is a necessary measure, which may indicate a revision of this policy.