TBS flags major challenge in alcohol consumption practices

Dodoma. The Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has raised concerns about the growing problem of improper alcohol consumption in the country.

This follows an assessment of alcoholic beverages in the market, which revealed a significant challenge in the reckless use of these products.

Speaking on the achievements of the government’s six-year administration and the direction of the organisation, TBS director general, Dr Ashura Katunzi, said that various measures have been taken to address the issue.

Also read: TBS warns against excessive beverage consumption

As part of efforts to ensure product quality, TBS conducted a market survey in the 2023/24 period, purchasing various alcoholic beverages to assess their compliance with the required standards.

“Many of the products met the required quality standards, but a few had issues. For instance, some drinks were supposed to have 45 percent alcohol content but contained only 40 percent, meaning consumers were not getting the full alcohol content they were paying for,” Dr Katunzi explained.

She clarified that any beverage with insufficient alcohol content was deemed substandard and subsequently removed from the market.

Dr Katunzi said that while most products were up to standard, the main issue lay in the alcohol content and inadequate packaging information.

In a move to further investigate the situation, TBS partnered with a team working on market risks to carry out a survey in 2025. Nearly 400 individuals were interviewed to assess the beverages available in the market and to identify the main challenges.

“The biggest issue we found is the widespread improper consumption of alcohol. The products themselves are not necessarily of poor quality—only a few of them fail to meet the required standards. The real problem is the unsafe ways in which people are consuming alcohol,” she said.

Dr Katunzi noted that many consumers were drinking alcohol incorrectly. For example, beverages meant to be mixed with other drinks were being consumed neat, and excessive drinking was becoming more common.

To address these challenges, TBS has partnered with the Ministry of Health and that of the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government Authorities - RALGA) to promote safer alcohol consumption practices and ensure that alcoholic beverages are available in safer environments.

“We are committed to continuing public education on safe alcohol consumption. It is alarming that people are abusing alcohol, which is easily accessible at low prices,” Dr Katunzi said.

In March 2017, the government introduced a ban on the use of plastic sachets for packaging spirits, known locally as viroba, in an effort to curb the misuse of alcohol, particularly among young people who could easily afford the cheap price. 

However, vendors have adapted by selling alcohol in smaller quantities, with prices starting as low as 500, 1,000, and 2,000 Tanzanian shillings.

Also read:  More teenagers take alcohol, warns study 

Quality control measures

Dr Katunzi revealed that between July and December of the previous year, TBS identified substandard products worth Sh1.5 billion, which were subsequently removed from the market.

Regarding products that met the required standards, she stated that a total of 2,402 products had passed the quality assessment, with 1,066 of them—44 percent—being produced by small-scale entrepreneurs.

In an effort to support these entrepreneurs, TBS allocates Sh350 million annually to help certify their products. Additionally, TBS has tested 118,059 product samples over the past four years.

Janeth Mazengo, a resident of Dodoma City, voiced concern over the growing issue, stating that these beverages are now being sold in local food shops that lack licences to sell alcohol.

“These days, young people don’t even have to go to bars. They simply roam the streets and find these drinks in food shops at very low prices. Before you know it, they are already drunk. It’s hard to imagine how they manage to work,” she said.