Counterfeit Whiskey Brands Flood Beer Joints - Report
With some reports claiming that alcohol has become every cheap on the black market, that is, on the streets, it has been established that most of the brands flooding the market are fake brands.
The counterfeit beer, especially whiskey brands have flooded the streets in major urban centres across the country.
The fake brands, which include popular brands such as Johnnie Walker’s Red Label, Jameson, Red, Grants and Best brands, are reportedly being smuggled into the country from neighbouring Mozambique, South Africa and Namibia at ridiculously low prices according to 263Chat.com.
An unnamed trader in the counterfeit whiskey business who spoke to the publication said:
We get this stuff from Mozambique. We buy a bottle of Best Whiskey in Mozambique for US$ 1 and sell it for US$ 5 here.
They vary between US$ 1 and US$ 5 depending on the type of brand. We then sell Red Label for US$ 13, Grants at US$ 12.
The price at which the fake whiskey is sold is very low when compared to prices on the formal market.
A whiskey imbiber who spoke to 263Chat, identified as Taurai Katsvairo said:
Whether it’s fake of genuine we don’t care the taste is the same. This has become our trademark beer. Imagine Viceroy and other brandy we were used to drinking are costing around ZWL$ 66 and above, yet Best whiskey which is relatively smoother and finer in taste is just US$ 5, that’s something like ZWL$ 50. Why wouldn’t I be tempted to opt for Best Whiskey?
It is thought that some formal retailers have joined the bandwagon and are now beginning to stock fake supplies which they buy from the streets.
Popular joints across Harare such as Zindoga, Warren Park Mereki, Chikwana and Ziko are said to be awash with the fake brands.
