Mozambique regulates alcohol business, consumption – report

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Mozambique regulates alcohol business, consumption – report

9:03 CAT | 06 Nov 2018

INAE's spokesperson said that Mozambique is indisputably the largest alcohol market on the African continent, with an expected total volume of 30.9m hectolitres in 2017, or 30 percent of the entire African market. File photo: Jinty Jackson / BelgaImage

The Mozambican government, through the National Inspection of Economic Activities (INAE), has launched a nationwide campaign to regulate the marketing and consumption of alcoholic beverages, particularly in the city of Maputo as part of a strategic bid to promote public health.

INAE spokesperson Ali Mussa told a media briefing in Maputo Tuesday that the campaign was motivated by the mushrooming in the market of companies that use a new strategy for the sale of alcoholic beverages, such as online and home delivery. “We want to see a healthy society,” Mussa explained as he took stock of activities carried out in the last two weeks by his department.

The official said Mozambique is indisputably the largest alcohol market on the African continent, with an expected total volume of 30.9m hectolitres in 2017, or 30 percent of the entire African market.

Some companies’ activities in some cases violate the regulation on the production, marketing and consumption of alcoholic beverages, which establishes specific restrictions and schedules in the country.

Mussa cited as an example of restrictions the prohibition on sale of alcohol to minors or to people with signs of intoxication and said the regulation also imposes restrictions on the sale of beverages at fuel stations, public roads, parks, roads, sidewalks, among other public places.

The INAE campaign also extends to advertising companies and media.

“The regulation of production and consumption of alcoholic beverages establishes that advertising can only go on the air in the media, in this case radio and television, in the period above 20:00 hrs,” Mussa said.

According to the official, beyond the obvious problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption, there is the effect on healthcare systems that are ill-equipped to deal with alcohol abuse and there are major concerns around illicit alcohol.

ALSO READ: Youth Parliament calls for booze price hike to curb alcoholism in Mozambique

Source: APA