PRESS: Ministry wants wider canned beer sales to help Deripaska

MOSCOW, Oct 1 (PRIME) -- The Industry and Trade Ministry suggests lifting a ban on the sales of canned beer through stands and kiosks and cancel a prohibition on the sales of beer at night to help the sanction-hit business of tycoon Oleg Deripaska, Kommersant business daily reported on Monday quoting a bill written by the ministry.

An explanatory note to the bill says that economic sanctions of third parties have slashed demand for aluminum of Russian producers, and the measures are part of a support plan for the national aluminum industry, the business daily said.

The ban on sales of beer, cider, perry, and mead in aluminum cans through stands and kiosks, or the so-called non-stationery retail, and a ban on sales of alcoholic drinks from 11.00 p.m. through 8.00 a.m. local time was introduced in 2013. Before that, beer sales through stands and kiosks accounted for 20% of all beer sales.

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