Price of alcohol to rise, ban on advertising considered – Lithuanian parliament

The Alcohol Control Act amendments propose to allow the sale of alcohol on weekdays and on Saturdays only from 10.00 to 20.00 and on Sundays from 10.00 to 15.00.

The proposals also propose raising prices by raising excise taxes annually by 20% from 2017 and increasing the minimum age requirement for buying alcohol to 20.

Under the proposed provisions only specialised stores will be authorized to sell alcohol and these stores will not allowed to set up near multi-residential buildings or residential properties from 2018.

Stores’ alcoholic beverage departments will only be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages up to 7.5% proof and in rural areas stores will be limited to selling alcohol up to 15%.

Legislative changes are also planned to ban advertising of alcohol, except in places where alcoholic beverages are sold. It would also be prohibited to engage in alcohol sales promotion techniques – alcoholic beverage gifts, contests or lotteries which encourage the purchase or consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Health legislation will also establish that the State Public Health Promotion Fund, with the Government setting aside a percentage of excise revenues from the sale of alcoholic beverages, but also setting aside a percentage of excise revenues generated from the sale of manufactured tobacco.