Representatives of alcohol producers and importers have now demanded that Mr Ossinovski publicly retract his remarks. In a letter to the minister, published on the Postimees news website , they say that the alcohol industry is no different to the food industry, and that any overconsumption should be tackled through education, not by attacking businesses. The chairman of the Remedia Distillers, Vladimir Feldman, says that the majority of the industry's profits actually go to the state - about half a billion euros in tax each year.