MOSCOW, March 13 (RIA Novosti/The Moscow News) - Just more than one-third of Russians say they would not pay more than 199 rubles (around $5.50) for a half liter of vodka, according to the All-Russian Center for Public Opinion Research's (VTsIOM) survey published on Thursday.
The official minimum price for vodka was raised to 199 rubles on March 11, and 37 percent of Russians said they would not pay more for the spirit, according to the poll. Of those who said they would not pay more, 40 percent said they have a low income, and 37 percent were elderly, the survey said.
VTsIOM also noted that 21 percent were willing to pay between 200 and 249 rubles per bottle, another 14 percent said they would pay between 250 and 300 rubles for the alcohol. Only 9 percent said they would pay more than 300 rubles per bottle, the poll said.
The survey also noted that the most popular alcoholic beverage among Russians is beer and not vodka. Beer is consumed at least once a week by 12 percent of those surveyed. Another 28 percent said they drink beer each month.
Russians are drinking less wine (26 percent), as well as less vodka and moonshine (20 percent). The least popular alcoholic beverages, according to the poll, are cocktails and congnac, with 80 percent and 60 percent respectively saying they had never tried them.
The survey was held February 15-16 among 1,600 respondents in 130 populated areas in 42 regions in Russia with a margin of error of no more than 3.4 percent.
