Dear Editor
I have observed a growing and worrying trend where it has become normal for traders of grocery stores selling all kinds of alcohol in our communities during before stipulated times.
We all know that our colleagues in this kind of business open their shops as early as 6 hours and my biggest concern is that as early as they open, one can easily walk in the shop and buy a beer then start consuming it right in there.
I don’t know if shop owners are only concerned about making profits or that people themselves are negligent not to realize this bad habit.
Unlike supermarkets where they start selling alcohol after 10 hours, shop owners managing grocery stores in our communities have no time of selling beer to their customers and see nothing wrong serving their customer a beer early morning.
What time are we going to be productive if one is already sipping a larger or whiskey or whatever beer they are consuming before people even start reporting for work?
Is there a law which curtails grocery traders from selling beer before 10 hours? If yes, then there is need to effect this law because what is happening is uncalled for and should be controlled or rather stopped as soon as possible.
Grocery store owners should not just think about making money but they should look at the effects of selling beer to people early in the morning. They should show care to their customers and they should also desist from selling more beer to someone who has had more than enough drinks.
We as customers should also develop a sense of responsibility and desist from the habits of taking alcohol early in the morning especially for those of us who should use that time to be productive, I mean, when are we going to work if we are drunk early in the morning? We need to have a sense of personal responsibility.
I also do not understand when people say the reason that Zambians start drinking early in the morning is that they do not have jobs and have nothing to do hence resulting to early beer drinking.
The question is where do they get the money for beer?
Let the local authorities begin punishing both the trader and customer when found selling and consuming alcohol early in the morning in a bid to stop the trend and deter would – be offenders.
The author Francis Chipalo is a Lusaka based Journalist and Freelance Public Relations Practitioner.
