Over 86 thousand licenses and a sharp increase in revenue: what alcohol sales statistics showed
In the first five months of 2026, Ukrainians spent UAH 72.7 billion on alcoholic beverages, and this amount became one of the most noticeable indicators in the segment of excisable goods. Compared to January-May 2025, revenue increased by UAH 8.6 billion, or 13.49%, although the number of official points of sale and licenses increased only slightly. This was reported by Danylo Getmantsev, chairman of the parliamentary committee on finance, tax and customs policy.
Against the background of an almost unchanged number of cash registers and software RROs, such an increase looks especially significant. On average, 124,758 RROs/PRROs worked in 5 months, which is only 0.46% more than last year, and in May their number was 126,651 units, actually remaining at the level of May 2025.
A similar picture can be seen with licenses. As of April 2026, 50,935 business entities had the right to work with alcoholic beverages, which is only 0.32% more than a year earlier. The number of active licenses increased to 86,449, adding 0.86%.
Against this background, UAH 72.7 billion in revenue demonstrates that there is significantly more money in the legal sale of alcohol than new market participants. Danylo Getmantsev associates this, in particular, with the norm that provides for the termination of a license in the absence of three or more receipts for the sale of excisable goods.
Despite the growth in official revenue, the problem of shadow alcohol remains acute. Alcohol is still freely sold on the Internet without a license and a fiscal receipt, which creates risks for both the budget and legal businesses that operate according to the rules. Because of this, the Bureau of Economic Security and the State Tax Service are called upon to strengthen control over the entire alcohol industry – from the production of alcohol to the sale of finished products. Special attention should be paid to the payment of taxes, shadow production and illegal circulation of alcohol.
In 2025, revenue from excisable goods in Ukraine also grew, and this included not only alcohol, but also cigarettes and fuel. Data for the first five months of 2026 show that the alcohol segment has maintained high dynamics, and the main issue for the state remains not only the volume of sales, but also what part of this market really works transparently.
