Alcoholic Beverages: Bill Causes Controversy

In Costa Rica, a bill is being discussed that seeks to combat adulteration and smuggling of alcoholic beverages, but the business sector believes that if approved, the result could be an increase in illegal trafficking.

Monday, September 9, 2019

The project called "Law against adulteration and smuggling of alcoholic beverages", proposes the use of technological tools to combat smuggling, imitation and adulteration of alcoholic beverages. See full bill.

In the text presented, it is proposed that "... Ministry of Health and the Institute of Municipal Advancement and Counseling (IFAM) must have the human resources available and the technological equipment necessary to perform adulteration tests in situ, for such purposes, IFAM must constitute a specialized unit in the application of such tests.

The Ministry of Finance shall establish a register of bar codes and labels of liquor or any other mechanism that enables the identification by consumers and police authorities of beverages with adulterated alcoholic content, imitation or contraband.


You may be interested in "Beverages: Consumer Trends and Preferences” and "Alcoholic Beverages: Imports up 23%

According to Enrique Egloff, president of the Chamber of Industries of Costa Rica (ICRC), "... the millionaire investment that would have to be made to implement the new technological mechanism and for the registration of national and foreign liquors, would cause an increase in the price of liquors."

Egloff told Observador.cr that "... It would trigger the smuggling of these products. Smuggling is never confronted by increasing costs and prices."

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