It is not easy to get genuine alcohol in Kenya, especially spirits. If you are a fan of quenching your throat with different spirits, you will realize that a spirit bought from a Wines and Spirits outlet in Nairobi tastes different from that bought from a supermarket.
The most pirated spirits in Kenya are:
- Grants
- Red Label
- Gilbeys
- Chrome Gin
- Konyagi
The main problem is that all these fake spirits have found their way into the mainstream including some supermarkets and bars and clubs. It has, therefore, become difficult for many customers to distinguish between genuine and fake spirits.
Most Wines and Spirits in Nairobi sell fake spirits. This is why the police are always at their doors collecting bribes so that they can be allowed to continue selling. Given that KEBS is almost bankrupt, there seems to be little hope in fighting counterfeit alcohol in Kenya.
Why so many fake spirits in Kenya?
Easy. The governor has imposed so many taxes on genuine alcohol. Both retailers and buyers have to cough and dig deep into their pockets to buy their favorite drinks. This led to the mushrooming of backstreet manufacturers who use fake KRA stamps to make their own drinks and sell them at lower prices.
The only alcoholic drinks that have not been counterfeited are pure beers like Tusker, Guinness, WhiteCap, Guinness, and others. It is, therefore, safe to take beers or buy from verified distributors from EABL or known supermarkets such as Naivas.
Scarier, wines such as 4th Street Red Sweet have started being counterfeited and this is presenting a great health risk to millions of Kenyans who are consuming poisonous substances without knowing. Stakeholders and government agencies seem overwhelmed and unable to stop this menace.
In your personal experience, what other brands do you think are the most pirated? What do you think should be done?
