‘A lot of Chelyabinsk dwellers are suffering from alcoholism, and some special attention needs to be paid to the so-called beer alcoholism,’ Vladimir Bogomolov, the director of Wings, an autonomous non-profit organization, said to UrBC. He reported beer alcoholism was widely spread among teenagers.

‘Beer makers target their ads at the younger generation, and some retail outlets (whose licenses must no doubt be annulled) sell beer to minors. Beer is just too easily available these days; the kind made by Baltika (the main beer supplier in the Southern Urals) falls right into the price segment that youngsters, people with lower incomes, and even children can afford,’ he added.

‘Baltika’s sales keep growing, and so does the population’s drink problem. The cheap beer supplied by the company on the market gives virtually everyone a ‘chance’ to become an alcoholic. Baltika often sponsors large-scale concerts, which serves as an effective ad and thus encourages large groups of young people to start drinking beer. Ironically, the director of Baltika’s Chelyabinsk branch denies the detrimental health hazards brought about by beer-drinking altogether. One might say that Baltika, with its cheap products, is the root of all evil in this part of Russia, it’s the driving force behind the alcoholism problem,’ Mr. Bogomolov added.

In the meanwhile, the Federal Antimonopoly Service approved of Carlsberg Breweries’ recent acquisition of Baltika. The company’s representatives report Baltika is hoping to enter the global market soon.