The analysis of changes in alcohol consumption by the population of Russia for the period from January 2019 to December 2020 in the context of the development of the COVID-19 pandemic was made. The main psychological and social reasons for the increase in the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption during this period are considered, and a discrepancy between the annual dynamics of alcoholic beverages sales and the development of the epidemic is revealed. It is shown that during the coronavirus epidemic sales of strong alcoholic beverages – vodka and liquor products with an alcohol content of more than 25% – are increased. Groups of regions with positive and negative dynamics of alcohol sales during the pandemic were identified.