Investigating the volume and structure of alcohol consumption in Russian regions

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Kossova ◽  
Elena Kossova ◽  
Maria Sheluntcova
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Russian Regions ◽  
Absolute Alcohol ◽  
Macroeconomic Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Over Time

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine macroeconomic factors that are significantly related to consumption of various alcoholic beverages in Russia. Design/methodology/approach The authors consider 78 Russian regions for the period from 2008 to 2012. Data were collected from the Federal State Statistics Service of Russia. The authors investigate differences in the volume and structure of consuming absolute alcohol in aggregate, vodka, beer, and wine. Estimating fixed effect panel models enables us to reveal the relationship between alcohol consumption and the set of macroeconomic factors that include economic development of regions and living standards, the effect of unemployment, and the degree of urbanization. Findings Alcohol consumption is procyclical in Russia. Two main alcoholic beverages in Russia are vodka and beer. Economic development and urbanization of regions are positively related to consuming alcohol. Unemployment rate affects consumption of different types of alcoholic drinks in a different way. For absolute alcohol, vodka and beer, this relationship is negative. However, it is positive for wine. The effect of unemployment on absolute alcohol and vodka increases over time. For beer, it is remained unchanged. For wine, this effect weakens over time. Originality/value To the authors knowledge, the paper is the first one to analyze macro-level factors of consumption of different alcoholic beverages in Russia. Conclusions made on aggregate macroeconomic data add to understanding of drinking patterns in Russia as a country with the large territory and great regional variations. Findings can be used for correcting the alcohol policy at the national and regional level.

scholarly journals Estonia: Problems created by border-trade for applying high-tax alcohol policy

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
T Täht ◽  
H Laarmann
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Global Strategy ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Policy Document ◽  
Excise Tax ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Border Trade ◽  
The Government ◽  
Over Exploitation

Abstract In early 2000s, Estonia had one of the highest levels of alcohol consumption globally. In 2008, the average salary could buy 62 litres of strong spirits, compared with 28 litres in 2000; the increase of affordability was one of the highest in the EU. Since then, alcohol consumption per capita has been reduced by a third, which has also led to a reduction in related problems: mortality from alcohol-related illnesses has fallen by 40%. This was achieved with the progressive adoption of measures that rely heavily, but not exclusively, on increasing excise taxes. In 2014 a comprehensive alcohol policy document was adopted, paving the way to the measures in all 10 areas of WHO global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol. Since then Estonia has launched treatment programme and awareness campaigns, restricted advertising and the exposure of alcohol in the public sphere. By 2017, the over-exploitation of the tax-based measures backfired. The twofold alcohol price difference between Estonia and Latvia, resulting from doubling the excise tax for beer and raising significantly those for other alcoholic beverages, caused an unintended increase in cross-border trade between the two countries. This, in turn, caused a new wave of public discussion around pricing policies, and a loss of popular support for tax increases. As a first step to address the problem, the government halved the tax increase planned for February 2018, thus increasing beer tax by 9% and spirits tax by 5%. Tax increases scheduled for 2019 and 2020 were cancelled, and taxes on spirits, beer and cider were cut by 25% instead. This resulted in Latvia decreasing their spirits taxes by 15% in turn. This development forces health promoters to seek new ways to reduce harm to public health and win back support to healthy policy choices.

scholarly journals Classification of Russian regions taking into account the structure of informal employment and the level of socio-economic development

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 31-43
Author(s):  
E. I. Dubravskaya
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Labor Market ◽  
Informal Employment ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Russian Regions ◽  
Homogeneous Groups ◽  
Managerial Decisions ◽  
Socio Economic Development ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose of the study. The possibilities for the implementation of national and regional strategic objectives depend on the compliance of the measures taken with the chosen development path. The set of measures includes managerial decisions in the field of labor market regulation and concerning the legalization of informal employment. To make managerial decisions on the regulation of the labor market at the regional level, an objective statistical assessment of the relationship between informal employment and indicators of socio-economic development is required.The information basis for the regulation of informal employment should be quantitatively assessed stable regularities of the relationship between the parameters of informal employment and the structural and dynamic characteristics of economic growth and development. To identify and evaluate these statistical patterns, based on data from the Federal State Statistics Service in a regional context, a system of statistical indicators has been developed and significant factors of informal employment and socio-economic development have been identified. Given the heterogeneity of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in terms of the scale and structure of informal employment, the distribution of regions into homogeneous groups is required. The article describes the approaches to the classification of Russian regions, taking into account the level of socio-economic development and the structure of informal employment.Materials and methods. The article examines an approach to the distribution of regions into homogeneous groups using the methods of cluster analysis based on a group of indicators characterizing those employed in the informal sector, which is based on the assumption that the indicators of informal employment are causally related to indicators of socio-economic development.Results. Five groups of regions are obtained, homogeneous in terms of the structural characteristics of informal employment and generalized factors of socio-economic development. For the purposes of further interpretation, the selected groups are assessed and ranked relative to the average Russian level of socio-economic development: low level (8 regions), below average (26 regions), average (41 regions), above average (8 regions), high level (2 regions) ...Conclusion. The resulting classification of Russian regions is a transitional stage to the construction of an econometric model of the relationship between informal employment and indicators of socio-economic development. Further analysis will allow us to assess which indicators have the greatest multiplier effect on the regional economy and to obtain a quantitative assessment of this impact on its growth.

scholarly journals Reflections on Italy's Decreasing Alcohol Consumption

1994 ◽  
Vol 11 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 245-250
Author(s):  
Amedeo Cottino ◽  
Elisabetta Forni
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Healthy Lifestyles ◽  
Essential Component ◽  
The Past ◽  
Main Meals ◽  
People Today ◽  
At Home

Although Italy still lacks an alcohol policy, consumption of alcoholic beverages, and in particular wine, has been decreasing steadily for several decades. Why? The authors argue that, even if most Italians maintain the habit of eating their main meals at home, wine is losing its role as an essential component of the menu. People today drink smaller amounts and less often than in the past particularly because wine is no longer “eaten” as before. In addition, two other factors may have contributed to the decline in consumption: the loss of confidence in producers and wholesalers following the toxic wine scandals and the increasing preoccupation with healthy lifestyles.

scholarly journals Sex disparities in premature adult mortality in Estonia 1995–2016: a national register-based study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e026210
Author(s):  
Kaja Rahu ◽  
Mati Rahu ◽  
Hajo Zeeb
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
Causes Of Death ◽  
Adult Mortality ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
National Register ◽  
Sex Disparities ◽  
Rate Ratios ◽  
Over Time

ObjectivesTo quantify sex disparities in cause-specific premature adult mortality in Estonia, to determine the causes of death with the largest differences, to provide insight into related behaviours and to offer some guidance to public health policy-makers based on the results of the study.DesignA national register-based study.SettingEstonia.DataIndividual records of deaths at ages 20–69 years in 1995–2016 from the Estonian causes of death register; data on tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption in the adult population in 1996–2016 from the biennial postal survey of health behaviour.Main outcome measuresOverall and cause-specific age-standardised mortality rates, average annual percentage changes in mortality, and cause-specific men-to-women mortality rate ratios were calculated. In addition, the age-standardised prevalence proportions of tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption and men-to-women prevalence rate ratios were determined.ResultsOverall premature adult mortality decreased considerably during 1995–2016, but no reduction was observed with respect to the large relative sex disparities. In circulatory disease mortality, the disparities widened significantly over time. Extremely high mortality rate ratios were observed for cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract and for lung cancer. There was a stable, more than fivefold male excess mortality from external causes. A fourfold male disadvantage was evident for alcohol poisoning, mental disorders due to alcohol and alcohol-related degeneration of the nervous system as a group. The prevalence of tobacco smoking and harmful alcohol consumption among men exceeded that among women by factors of two and six, respectively.ConclusionsEven though premature adult mortality has markedly decreased over time, there has been no success in diminishing the large sex differences in the mortality patterns, mostly associated with smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, both more prevalent among men. Estonia needs a comprehensive and consistent alcohol policy while maintaining and further developing antitobacco measures.

ASSESSMENT OF RUSSIAN REGIONS SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASYMMETRY (BASED ON DATA FROM MOSCOW AND MOSCOW REGION, TULA AND YAROSLAVL REGIONS)

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1657-1670
Author(s):  
A.V. Minakov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Regional Development ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Mortgage Lending ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Transport Infrastructure ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Russian Regions ◽  
Socio Economic Development

The aim of the study, the results of which are presented in this article, was to study the socio-economic asymmetry of Russian regions. The relevance of the research topic lies in the fact that regional asymmetry in the system of socio-economic relations is considered as one of the main threats to the regional development of Russia. At the level of the federal state and its regions, certain territorial differences in the use of their resource potential can be traced, which leads to significant interregional and intraregional asymmetries in the levels of socio-economic development of territories. Among the priorities for minimizing the manifestations of regional development risks in modern conditions is the introduction of a new regional economic policy, the basis of which should be recognized the formation and activation of “growth points” and using effective tools that can reveal the potential of regions for creating the “multiplier effect” in the socio-economic development at the interregional level. Analyzing socio-economic indicators, the author was able to identify a general positive trend in the increase of the average monthly nominal wages, the volume of tax revenues, fees and other obligatory payments to the regional budgets, as well as the turnover of trade and the volume of paid services to the population in the previous year. The author proposes a refined concept of “asymmetry”, studies the causes and consequences of asymmetry in the socio-economic development of regions, and determines the indicators characterizing the inequality of regional development. The article provides a comparative analysis of the socio-economic development of individual regions of the Central Federal District; it gives recommendations for leveling the socio-economic development of Russian regions, which will allow the Government of the Russian Federation to reduce in the future the lag of economically less developed regions from more developed ones. These recommendations are: development of transport infrastructure, increasing the electricity and gasification of areas remote from the center of the country rich in minerals, a significant increase in the housing stock, through preferential mortgage lending with government support and in the development of agglomerations, calling in them, mainly, the Russian-speaking population from neighboring countries, by issuing passports and citizenship in a simplified procedure.

Informal Workers in the Russian Economy: Who Are They and How Many?

2011 ◽  
pp. 53-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Gimpelson ◽  
A. Zudina
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Informal Employment ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Russian Regions ◽  
Informal Workers ◽  
Russian Economy ◽  
Marginal Effects ◽  
Informal Groups ◽  
Over Time

The paper discusses the evolution of the informal employment in the Russian labor market over the last decade. It uses all consecutive waves of the Labor Force Survey conducted by the Russian Federal State Statistics Service in 1999-2009. Looking inside the informality and tracing its evolution over time, we pay special attention to heterogeneity of the informal employment and distinguish salaried informal workers and informal self-employed as two major informal groups. Simple descriptive analysis is complemented by estimating marginal effects from multinomial logit regressions. Additionally, we use cross-section estimates of informality for all Russian regions for 1999-2009 and build a new hand-made panel database with regions as observations.

scholarly journals Effects of economic factors on alcohol consumption in 14 European countries

2001 ◽  
Vol 18 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 100-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalervo Leppänen ◽  
Risto Sullström ◽  
Ilpo Suoniemi
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Time Series Data ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Total Expenditure ◽  
Absolute Alcohol ◽  
Specific Level

Kalervo Leppänen & Risto Sullström & Ilpo Suoniemi: Effects of economic factors on alcohol consumption in 14 European countries This paper analyses time series data on alcohol consumption in 14 European countries. Flexible models of alcohol consumption using quantity index data and absolute alcohol in litres per adult have been specified to find similarities in consumer preferences. The SURE method and Wald test were used to estimate and test for common parameters across the countries and to obtain the corresponding restricted estimates. We also constructed comparable price indices for alcoholic beverages and total expenditure variables in order to capture differences between the countries in price levels and the consumers' purchasing power. The hypothesis of common preferences was clearly rejected by the data. Total expenditure affects the demand for alcohol equally across the countries and the price parameters are equal within the three groups, i.e. the monopoly countries, wine producers and other countries with the exception of the Netherlands. The common estimate of the expenditure parameter suggests that alcoholic beverages are considered to be normal goods rather than luxuries. The demand for alcoholic beverages is more easily controllable by excise taxes in the monopoly countries than elsewhere. In the wine-producing countries demand is relatively price inelastic. The value of the price elasticity indicates that taxes have not been set at their revenue-maximizing levels in the monopoly countries. Analysis of absolute alcohol consumption revealed that the country-specific level constants were the major factor in explaining the difference among the countries. Economic variables, the price of alcohol and total expenditure played a subsidiary yet important role.

Examining alcohol management practices in community sports clubs: a systems approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly M. Thompson ◽  
Josephine Previte ◽  
Sarah Kelly ◽  
Adrian.B. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sports Clubs ◽  
Community Sport ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Sport Clubs ◽  
Community Sports

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of macro-level regulatory systems on alcohol management for community sport organisations (CSOs). It examines how alcohol regulations translate into meso-level management actions and interactions that impact alcohol consumption in community sport clubs. Design/methodology/approachManagement of alcohol was explored through the holistic lens of macro, meso, and micro-levels of influence. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with Australian club administrators from community sports clubs. FindingsThematic analysis revealed macro-level influences on alcohol management in CSOs, with government regulations and the state sport associations being the most influential. Challenges arise in alcohol policy implementation when sport administrators do not prioritise alcohol consumption as a problem to be addressed, or where a conflict of interest arises between alcohol revenue generation and clubs positioning as health promoting environments. Practical implicationsTargeting club administrators’ attitudes towards alcohol as a benign influence and revising alcohol management practices are recommended as priority strategies to enhance the implementation and promotion of responsible alcohol management in sport clubs. Affiliate state sport associations were also identified as influential settings to provide administrative or strategic direction to CSOs, which would reduce the resources required by volunteers and standardise alcohol management practices across sports clubs. Originality/valueThe prevailing alcohol research focuses on the consumption behaviour of individual members and sports players. The study findings are novel and important as they explore the macro-level influences that administrators experience when enacting and policing alcohol management strategies in sports clubs. To-date, administrators of CSOs have not been included in many studies about alcohol consumption regulation; therefore, the findings provide an original perspective on alcohol regulation and demonstrate how CSOs operationalise alcohol management in club settings. The original insights from this study informed the conceptualisation of a multilevel sport system framework, which can be applied to guide future governance of alcohol consumption in sport settings.

scholarly journals Reducing the standard serving size of alcoholic beverages prompts reductions in alcohol consumption

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inge Kersbergen ◽  
melissa oldham ◽  
Andrew Jones ◽  
Matt Field ◽  
Colin Angus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Laboratory Study ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size

Aims: We tested whether reducing the standard serving size of alcoholic beverages would reduce voluntary alcohol consumption in a laboratory (study 1) and a real-world drinking environment (study 2). Additionally, we modelled the potential public health benefit of reducing the standard serving size of on-trade alcoholic beverages in the UK.Design: Studies 1 and 2 were cluster-randomised experiments. In study 1, participants were randomly assigned to receive standard or reduced serving sizes (by 25%) of alcohol during a laboratory drinking session. In study 2, customers at a bar were served alcohol in either standard or reduced serving sizes (by 28.6% – 33.3%). Finally, we used the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model to estimate the number of deaths and hospital admissions that would be averted per year in the UK if a policy that reduces alcohol serving sizes in the on-trade was introduced.Setting: A semi-naturalistic laboratory (study 1), a bar in Liverpool, UK (study 2).Participants: Students and university staff members (study 1: N = 114, mean age 24.8 years, 74.6% female), residents from local community (study 2: N = 164, mean age 34.9 years, 57.3% female).Measurements: Outcome measures were units of alcohol consumed within one hour (study 1) and up to three hours (study 2). Serving size condition was the primary predictor. Findings: In study 1, a 25% reduction in alcohol serving size led to a 20.7% - 22.3% reduction in alcohol consumption. In study 2, a 28.6% - 33.3% reduction in alcohol serving size led to a 32.4% - 39.6% reduction in alcohol consumption. Modelling results indicated that decreasing the serving size of on-trade alcoholic beverages by 25% could reduce the number of alcohol-related hospital admissions and deaths per year in the UK by 4.4% - 10.5% and 5.6% - 13.2%, respectively. Conclusions: Reducing the serving size of alcoholic beverages leads to a reduction in alcohol consumption within a single drinking occasion. Reducing the standard serving sizes of alcoholic beverages may reduce alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm at the population level.

Friends or Foes? The Effect of Governor-Siloviki Interaction on Economic Growth in Russian Regions

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 520-545
Author(s):  
Andrei Yakovlev and Anton Aisin
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Regional Economic Growth ◽  
Russian Regions ◽  
Regional Economic ◽  
Security Service ◽  
Russian Politics ◽  
Rates Of Growth ◽  
Over Time

Although many scholars have analyzed the role played by the siloviki in Russian politics, they usually focus on the presence of siloviki in the federal elite or the pressure they exerted on business. In this article, we use new data on the appointments of regional governors and the heads of regional departments of the Federal Security Service (ufsb), as well as data on regional economic growth from 2005 to 2017, to examine how decisions by the Kremlin with respect to the appointment of key regional siloviki have affected economic development in Russian regions. We find that regions where the governor-siloviki relationship has been stable over time also display higher rates of growth. We then investigate whether regional fsb heads are specifically appointed to start investigations on regional governors, but do not find a statistically significant relationship. Finally, we show how a number of newly appointed political heavyweights among Russia’s governor corps have been given their “own” silovik to support them in their region.

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