As a major producer of alcoholic beverages, Distell respect’s the right of adults to choose whether or not to consume alcohol as an acceptable and enjoyable way to celebrate and relax.
Their key focus areas are: Reducing underage drinking, preventing foetal alcohol syndrome, controlling the sale and marketing of alcoholic beverages and, reducing drinking and driving. Distell is also a member of the Association for Responsible Alcohol use (ARA) and actively participates and collaborates with industry bodies and distributors to promote the responsible consumption of alcohol.
Distell has coincided itself with government’s thinking which is summarised in its `Anti-substance Abuse programme of Action, 2011-2016′, which was released after the Inter-Ministerial Committee’s Biennial Summit on Substance Abuse in Durban in since its inception in March 2011.
The programme sets out specific objectives and outcomes aimed at reducing the level and impact of substance abuse. Concerns raised by government include South Africa’s abnormally high rate of FAS, DWI, under-age and binge drinking among the youth, and irresponsible advertising.
Head of CSI at Distell group Gerhard Claasens said:
“it is incumbent upon Distell to do its utmost to encourage a culture of responsible drinking. By this we mean the moderate consumption of alcohol as an acceptable and enjoyable way to celebrate and relax. In contrast, where alcohol is abused, it can harm people who drink irresponsibly, as well as others around them.”
