If KEBS certifies alcohol, how did Kenya end up with such a large illicit market?
Kenya’s growing illicit alcohol market is putting the country’s standards regulator under renewed scrutiny, raising a fundamental question: if the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) certifies alcoholic products and conducts market surveillance, why does such a large share of alcohol consumed in the country remain outside the formal system? A 2025 Euromonitor International study commissioned […]
Kenya’s illicit alcohol market is estimated to be worth more than Ksh200 billion, comprising 60 per cent of the country’s alcohol consumption by volume in 2024. Despite the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) certifying alcoholic products and conducting market surveillance, a significant portion of alcohol remains outside the formal system.
KEBS says its certification process involves rigorous factory inspections and laboratory testing, while its market-surveillance mandate allows for enforcement against non-compliant products. However, the scale of the illicit trade suggests a more complex issue. Critics question how counterfeit products carrying fake KEBS and KRA markings can circulate so widely if the regulatory system is functioning effectively.
The challenge lies not only in testing certified alcohol but also in identifying products that pretend to be certified without entering the certification process. KEBS works with various agencies to tackle the problem, but recent seizures of illicit alcohol highlight the difficulties in preventing illicit products from reaching consumers.
The central issue is the effectiveness of Kenya’s regulatory system in curbing a market that continues to grow despite the presence of standards and enforcement measures.
Written by urgent.news from People Daily Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
