The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, led by its self-proclaimed “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,” is preparing to open its first alcohol retail store in the capital, Riyadh. The store is intended to serve non-Muslim diplomats, according to a source familiar with the plans and a document seen by Reuters.
The document states that customers will need to register through a mobile app, obtain clearance codes from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and adhere to what they claim are “monthly quotas” with their purchases.
This move marks a controversial development in the Kingdom’s efforts, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to transform the culture and trajectory of the Saudi people. Consuming alcohol is prohibited in Islam and is also part of broader plans known as Vision 2030 to build a post-oil economy.
The new store is located in the Diplomatic Quarter of Riyadh, where embassies and diplomats reside, and will be “restricted” to non-Muslims. It remains unclear whether non-Muslim expatriates will have access to the store.
State-controlled media reported this week that the government imposed new restrictions on alcohol imports within diplomatic shipments, potentially boosting demand for the new store.
Arab News daily reported on Sunday that the new regulations would limit imports to counter “improper exchange of private goods and alcoholic beverages received by non-Islamic embassies within the Kingdom.”
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