Almost 90% of Armenian Brandy Sold in Russia is Unsafe: Study

Almost 90% of Armenian brandy sold in Russia is unsafe, with nearly 50% of the products containing non-alcoholic spirits that should not be present in brandy. This was reported by the TASS news agency, referring to a joint study conducted by the Anti-Counterfeit Association and the Union of Producers of Brandy, Spirits, and Alcoholic Beverages of Russia.

The study involved more than 200 samples from more than 20 brands of the top 10 Armenian producers. After violations were detected in 9 out of 10 samples, the Anti-Counterfeit Association appealed to the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, the Federal Customs Service, and Rosalkogoltabakcontrol to implement control measures on the brandy imported from Armenia.

At the same time, it was noted that only 23 of the 200 examined samples complied with the established standards. According to the relevant applications, the 'fake alcoholic products from Armenia create conditions for unfair competition and price dumping.'

The results are shocking. We were prepared to find a certain number of violations, but that almost half of the brandies in stores are counterfeit is a massive indicator. Samples from the same brand bottled on the same date may comply with standards, while those bottled on different dates may contain non-grape-origin spirits,” said Kristina Skripnik, the General Director of the Anti-Counterfeit Association.