Mapa hails alcohol manufacturers’ move
Malawi Alcohol Policy Alliance (Mapa) national coordinator Nelson Zakeyu has hailed Alcohol Manufacturers Association (AMA) for recalling all liquor products that do not comply with laws governing production and packaging of alcohol.
Mapa has been advocating for the ban of alcohol packaged in plastic bottles.
In an interview, Zakeyu said this shows that companies are willing to cooperate with laws of the country.
that have been recalled
“Government should, therefore, swiftly implement the Malawi Alcohol Policy which it approved on January 26 2017,” he said.
Zakeyu was reacting to the recall by AMA of all alcoholic beverages that do not comply with the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) 210 Spirit Specification and Liquor Production, Marketing and Distribution Regulations that touches on sensor requirements, hygiene, packaging and labelling following the decision by the High Court to vacate an injunction on the implementation of the same.
“Since the decision of the High Court on May 16 2016, companies which belong to the association have taken steps to be compliant with all the specifications under both MBS 210 and Liquor Production, Marketing and Distribution Regulations as they are law abiding citizens,” reads a statement issued by the association.
AMA board chairperson Rajakumar Munnangi confirmed the recall of the products, asking those who bought the products to return them.
“We would like to inform all our distributors and consumers of alcoholic beverages that are in custody of the products packaged in plastic bottles or any other products produced by the companies to return the products to companies that are named on the packaging,” he said.
Munnangi appealed to all distributors to cooperate during the recall exercise as it will enable members of the association to expedite the process of obtaining the approvals of their product wto be packaged in glass bottles. n
