Diageo: solve Kenya's drink problem with cheap beerSimon Bowers
The Guardian,
Tuesday December 11 2007
The solution to problem drinking in some of the poorest parts of Africa is to flood troublesome districts with ultra-low-cost beer, according to the world's biggest alcoholic drinks group Diageo.
The counter-intuitive proposal offers an affordable alternative to the high-strength and often toxic moonshine prevalent in many slums and rural communities.
After early signs of success for a pilot project in Kenya, Diageo's East African Breweries (EAB) has begun discussions with other governments struggling with similar problems of illicit alcohol. Inquiries have come from South Africa and a number of west African countries.
In Kenya illicit alcohol is estimated to account for about half of consumption. Drink is linked not just anti-social behaviour but also to acute health problems from toxic substances used to fortify illicit spirits. The incidence of drink-related blindness and death is said to be extremely high.
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