An economist told Sverdlovsk residents how a VAT increase will affect prices.

      From the beginning of next year, Russia's value-added tax rate will increase — VAT will be raised from 20% to 22%. Professor at UrGEU Maxim Maramygin explained how this change will affect the economy and price levels.

      According to the expert, the tax increase will inevitably cause prices to rise, but not equally across all product categories:

      — VAT is applied at different rates. For example, a reduced rate of 10% applies to children's goods, and there are groups that are completely exempt from the tax. Therefore, an increase from 20% to 22% will raise the price of goods not by 2%, but by about 1.2%, the professor noted in an interview with E1.RU.

      Thus, if a product currently costs 1,000 rubles, from 2026 its price could increase to approximately 1,012 rubles.

      Maramygin emphasized that the VAT increase will not have a positive effect on the economy overall:

      — Raising tax rates never stimulates development. In 2025 there is already an increase in anxiety among the population, which reduces consumption. Many sectors oriented toward retail consumers are recording a decline in sales. With rising prices this trend will only intensify.

      According to him, as a result companies will be forced to redirect part of the funds that could have been used for development, modernization and expansion of production to paying taxes.

      The professor added that the VAT level in Russia is still comparable to international practice:

      — Our taxes cannot be called high — in developed countries VAT is in the range of 20–24%. If the rate were raised to 28%, as it was in the 1990s, the consequences would be much more severe.