OnTap Magazine

Last month, the Beer Association of South Africa (BASA) wrote to all nine provincial liquor boards requesting a meeting to discuss the current regulatory environment governing the sale of alcohol in grocery stores in South Africa. The focus of our engagements with the relevant authorities will be to debate the arbitrary discrimination against the category of beer when it comes sales in grocery stores. Currently, only wine, sparkling wine and champagne are available for purchase in our grocery stores. BASA would like to see our local craft breweries being afforded the same opportunity to share their craft beers with a wider audience, especially in the wake of four consecutive alcohol bans which forced over 30% of our craft breweries to close. Those breweries that managed to keep their doors open are still struggling to recover and allowing beer to be sold in grocery stores will offer them the leg-up they need to continue operating. It is understood that the decision to restrict the sale of liquor in grocery stores to only table wine was made in the 1970s when both the economic and political landscapes were very different. Today, there are over 150 small craft breweries across the country, who are struggling to gain market access due to the current arbitrary and rather discriminatory legislation. The fact that most beers also have a much lower alcohol by volume (ABV) than other alcohol categories, including wine, also highlights the illogicality of the current regulatory environment. With beer also increasingly being viewed as a great accompaniment to food, it is only fair that consumers are provided with the choice of being able to buy their beer while shopping for groceries; like they can with wine. BASA therefore hopes to meet with all provincial liquor authorities to discuss this issue, with the aim of current legislation being amended so that retail food stores would also be permitted to sell beer manufactured by craft breweries – holders of micro-brewery or micro-manufacturing liquor licences. Stay tuned for more updates on this campaign – and our progress – in the next On Tap magazine! BASA WRITES TO LIQUOR BOARDS TO DISCUSS BEER IN GROCERY STORES ontapmag.co.za | Spring 2022 | 7