Unexpected effect? Russians give up booze and sweets as Covid-19 causes healthy lifestyle kick

When it comes to the coronavirus, good news is few and far between. But, in Russia, a sudden silver lining may finally have been found: some people are drinking less and eating healthier.

According to a new survey from Roskachestvo Consumer Behavior Research Center and Online Market Intelligence, during the Covid-19 lockdown, Russian people have significantly changed their shopping habits to avoid from more harmful food and drink.

The study, conducted between April 21-22, shows that 45 percent of Russians gave up alcohol, 38 percent gave up sweets, and 35 percent gave up sausages. Interestingly, those from older age brackets were more likely to stop buying harmful products, with two-thirds (67 percent) of respondents over the age of 55 putting down the bottle.

The research also brought up some little quirks about regional variations in the country, discovering that those from Russia's Southern Federal District were more likely than the rest to give up fish (39 percent) and cheese (32 percent). In the North Caucasus region, some people (six percent) even stopped buying fresh vegetables – an anomalous not-so-healthy choice. On the whole, 35 percent of those surveyed said that their food shopping costs had reduced since the start of quarantine, with 35 percent saying that theirs increased. Earlier this month, it was reported by Izvestia that figures from fiscal data operator Taxcom showed that vodka sales had dropped 41 percent in the first week of April.

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