Two months after the sale of alcohol was banned in South Africa as a coronavirus measure, sales have been allowed once more. There are restrictions: daytime sales only, not on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Drinks must be consumed at home, so bars are still closed. We think it could lead to long term changes in how alcohol in sold.

On March 27th the South African government banned sales of alcohol in the country, ostensibly to free up the country’s medical resources to deal with coronavirus, rather than the effects of alcohol-fuelled violence and accidents. The sale of tobacco and tobacco-based products was also banned.

Alcohol will be available for sale from Monday to Thursday, between 0900 and 1700.

The alcohol actually lowered the death rate in South Africa, which normally, sees 34,000 trauma cases at hospitals each week, more than half of which involve someone who has drunk alcohol. During lockdown that fell to around 12,000 admissions per week. For the period March 29th – April 20th, 2020 recorded murders reduced by 72%, rape by 87.2%, assault dropped by 85.2% and attempted murder was down by 65.9%.

Not all of that change can be directly attributed to the alcohol ban, of course. But the ban has been so successful as an exercise in public health it has raised speculation that the South African government may look to impose some long term restrictions on the sale of alcohol (not a ban), in a bid to reduce alcoholism and reduce the social impact of drinking.

The short term impact of alcohol restrictions has been an increase in smuggling and illegal bars, but now a shift to home drinking. If restrictions remain in some form and consumers are more reluctant to go out because of the pandemic it could lead to longer term changes in consumption patterns of alcohol in South Africa, particularly among black consumers.