Reaching for the bottle

It was announced on 16 February that the tax on alcohol is to be increased by 3-7 percent. What is wrong with this? Manufacturers are worried that this will not result in extra revenues for the government, but will lead to a drop in demand and sales. Domestic consumption has been declining for years. Domestic brands will be replaced by cheaper imported brands. The black market will thrive. There is nothing wrong with fighting alcoholism, but this step will not boost tax revenues, yet it will certainly damage our industry.