Is it possible to buy alcohol at night if you take a sip from a bottle

What, exactly, are we talking about?

Alcohol in Russian stores forbiddenFederal Law "On State Regulation of the Production and Turnover of Ethyl Alcohol, Alcoholic and alcohol-containing products and on limiting the consumption (drinking) of alcoholic products” dated November 22, 1995 No. 171-FZ" sell from 23:00 to 08:00. Regions can independently increase this period. For example, in St. Petersburg alcohol can't be boughtLaw of St. Petersburg dated February 10, 2014 No. 50-5 "On the circulation of alcoholic and alcohol-containing products in St. Petersburg" legally from 22:00 to 11:00.

There is a life hack among the people: you just need to open a bottle right in the hall and take a sip. Then the seller will have no choice but to sell alcohol. After all, you can't put it back on the shelf. Otherwise, the employee will have to fix the loss and, most likely, compensate for it from his own pocket. Moreover, there is no attempt to secretly take the goods out of the hall, the buyer is ready to pay for it, just take the money from him.

Sounds logical. Is it profitable for a store to sell a product?

Penalties for violating the rules for the sale of alcohol rather bigCode of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation Article 14.16. Violation of the rules for the sale of ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products - up to 40 thousand for an official, up to 300 thousand for a legal entity. Punishment may be accompanied by confiscation of alcoholic and alcohol-containing products.

It is enough to compare the size of the fine and the cost of an average bottle of alcohol to understand how little sense it makes for a store to break the law in this way.

If we were talking about a system of illegal sale of alcohol, it would be profitable, no doubt about it. It is unlikely to take risks because of a unit of goods.

Moreover, as an additional incentive, or rather an anti-incentive for sellers, cash desks are usually programmed so that alcohol cannot be sold at night. So knock out receipt, that is, it is technically impossible to sell alcohol legally.

I'll pay in cash! Is it possible for the seller to write down something for himself, and in the morning punch a check?

It is not that simple. The state strictly controls the circulation of alcohol with the help of the Unified State Automated Information System (EGAIS). It works like this.

The manufacturer applies a special code to each bottle of strong alcohol, which will allow you to monitor its movement. Thanks to him, you can find out the path of each unit of goods from the factory to the buyer.

As a result, when selling in a retail store, the cashier scans not only barcodeto write off the bottle from the inventory system of stores. He also uses special equipment to read a special label in order to send information to EGAIS that a particular bottle has found a happy owner.

The seller, in order to knock out a check and send information about the sale to EGAIS, does not need the same bottle, but this particular one.

That is, in the morning, the cashier can break through the purchase, only he will have to leave both cash and alcohol.

Well, if you pour alcohol into another bottle?

Sometimes they do, even though it's still illegal. Especially if the store is not equipped with video surveillance, and the seller on the trading floor is alone and very desperate. Because you cannot be sure that among those thirsty to buy alcohol at night there will not be a law enforcement officer who came to make a test purchase. And we have already talked about the amount of fines.

In addition, the violator of the law will obviously want a larger amount for alcohol than indicated on the price tag. Why else would he risk it?

With hard alcohol, of course. And what about beer?

With beer and other low-alcohol drinks like cider simpler. It is not necessary to scan each bottle during the sale; in the Unified State Automated Information System, stores report with write-off acts.

But even in this case, the benefit for the seller is doubtful. More precisely, none, especially considering the average cost of a bottle of weak alcohol. Moreover, by the time the sale of alcohol is allowed, the cashier shift may be over. You will have to ask for the help of a shift, and this is too complicated a scheme.

But the bottle is already open, I drank from it! What will happen now?

If you're lucky, the cashier will take both the money and alcohol to break through at the allowed time. If there were a lot of tricksters and they got fed up with the order, the seller can go on principle and call the police, especially if the goods are expensive.

Sipping from a bottle in the store is fraught with fineCode of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation Article 20.20. Consumption (drinking) of alcoholic products in prohibited places or consumption of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances, new potentially dangerous psychoactive substances or intoxicants in public places for drinking alcohol in public places. The rest depends on the circumstances. For example, the police can draw up a report on the fact damageCode of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation Article 7.17. Destruction or damage to another's property someone else's property or, if you still try to go out with a bottle without paying, - petty theftCode of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation Article 7.27. petty theft. Even inexpensive cans of beer will be for this enoughResolution dated March 4, 2016 in case No. 5-220/2016. Of course, then you can try to challenge this in court, because you did not refuse to pay. Yes, and damage to other people's property is in question, here you can fight. However, this is still too serious troubles for the sake of a bottle of alcohol.

There is another option to get fineCode of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation Article 20.1. Petty hooliganism for petty hooliganism, if you behave aggressively. Well, the cost of a failed purchase will have to be compensated in any case.

What are you talking about? My friend always buys beer like this!

So, of course, it can be. Among the sellers there are frank nihilists who do not want to contact the police, so they agree to break through the goods in the morning. There are those for whom this is an additional business. For example, they take money from the buyer, and then the goods are written off as broken. Someone sells from under the counter counterfeit, including health hazards.

Just put yourself in the shoes of the cashier. There are a lot of wise men who are trying at any cost to buy alcohol at an inopportune time. By releasing alcohol at night, the seller risks money and a job. Therefore, selling good alcohol at cost is some dubious charity. And it is worth considering what is his benefit, since he goes for it.

But where is it legal to buy alcohol at night if the pipes are on fire?

At any time, alcohol is available in the bars. There, the conditions are just right for the original ones: the seller must buy a container with alcohol should openFederal Law No. 171-FZ of November 22, 1995 “On State Regulation of the Production and Turnover of Ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products and on limiting the consumption (drinking) of alcoholic products”. This, of course, somewhat complicates transportation. But sleight of hand and a lid can help here, which you can bring with you or ask the bartender.

I write for Lifehacker about money, law and rights, things that make life easier, better and more fun. And of course, I check the advice on myself: I get tax deductions, I file declarations online, and I also paid off my mortgage ahead of schedule and forced the post office to find my package.