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Government issues deadline on packaging, sale of alcohol in sachets

Ms Kyambadde says a committee has been established to monitor the implementation of the directive, warning that noncompliance with the ban will culminate into closure of business. FILE PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • Ms Kyambadde added that a committee has been established to monitor the implementation of the directive warning that noncompliance with the ban will culminate into closure of business.
  • The committee is comprised of officials from; Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Finance, Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda National Bureau of Standards. Ministry of Health. Uganda Manufacturers Association, Uganda Police force, NEMA and the Uganda Alcohol Manufacturers Association.

The Minister of Trade Hon Amelia Kyambadde on Friday issued a directive to alcohol manufacturing companies to stop the packaging and sale of alcohol in sachets.

This follows the cabinet directive issued in 2017, in which the packaging and sale of alcohol in sachets was banned.

After the cabinet directive, the Ministry of Trade together with alcohol manufacturers under their umbrella body, the Uganda Alcohol Industry Association (UAIA) held meetings in which they agreed on a road map to procure, install and commission new bottling packaging production equipment including building new factory premises for new technology bottling machinery.

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MS Kyambadde says the process has now taken two years and has attracted several investments for bottling equipment to enable the transition.
"This means that the production and packaging of alcohol should transit from packaging in sachets to packaging and sale in plastic and glass bottles, 200mls minimum," she said.

The minister said in accordance to the agreed positions, government has issued a ban on the production of alcohol in sachets with effect from March 31, 2019 at factory premises.

"The sale / Trade of Alcohol in sachets is banned with effect from May 30, 2019 and no one is expected to sale alcohol in sachets after this date." Statement reads in part.

Ms Kyambadde added that a committee has been established to monitor the implementation of the directive, warning that noncompliance with the ban will culminate into closure of business.

The committee is comprised of officials from; Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Finance, Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda National Bureau of Standards. Ministry of Health. Uganda Manufacturers Association, Uganda Police force, NEMA and the Uganda Alcohol Manufacturers Association.

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