As of this summer, Russians will be able to send text messages to ensure that the Vodka they are drinking is legit.

By sending the serial number of the bottle to a designated short code, they will get a response by SMS certifying (or not) the product.

The project is an initiative by State run Rosspirtprom, the company responsible for the sale of 60% of strong alcohol in the country and distributor of the top brands.

The sale of counterfeit vodka is a huge problem in Russia, not just because it hurts the major brands sales, but because the counterfeit drinks are filled with cologne water, antifreeze liquids or pure alcohol and are responsible for 40′000 deaths each year.