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Vologda Oblast Closes or Rebrands All 610 Alcohol-Only Stores

Tight sales-hour limits paired with low-interest loans spurred the final conversions this week.

Overview

  • Officials said the last pending conversions were finalized in recent days, with regional chain Severny Gradus now operating as "Kazhdaya pokupka v radost" across the oblast.
  • All Bristol outlets were renamed to "B-produkty," where alcohol now accounts for about 20% of goods and is sold in separate halls.
  • The Krasnoe & Beloe chain has not sold alcohol for more than six months and is replacing signage to reflect its new format.
  • Authorities report 75 of 125 small drink shops have closed or become cafes, 50 remain under monitoring, and businesses received 16 loans totaling 60.1 million rubles under the 5:3:3 program offering up to 5 million rubles at 3% for three years.
  • Beyond alcohol retailers, 218 of 316 vape shops have closed, and the governor urged vigilance against sales of surrogate alcohol and illicit supplies.