F & B
SOUTH AFRICA’ S
SOBER CURIOUS SHIFT
By Mokebe Thulo, CEO of AWARE. org
AWARE. org CEO, Mokebe Thulo
MORE AND MORE SOUTH AFRICANS ARE EMBRACING THE“ SOBER CURIOUS” MOVEMENT – RETHINKING ALCOHOL THROUGH WELLNESS, AWARENESS, AND CHOICE, AND OFFERING HOPE FOR HEALTHIER NORMS AND A MORE INCLUSIVE, RESPONSIBLE DRINKING CULTURE.
Across the world, people are rethinking their relationship with alcohol. The‘ sober curious’ movement encourages moderation or abstinence as part of a broader wellness journey. In South Africa, this trend is emerging more gradually but awareness and dialogue around responsible drinking are increasing.
Harmful alcohol use remains a major public health challenge in South Africa. While only a portion of the adult population drinks, the drinking population is reported to consume large volumes, and patterns of heavy or binge drinking are common.
At AWARE. org, our programmes continue to show positive impact in preventing underage drinking. Through our school and recreational initiatives, we have reached 112 487 children with sporting activities and alcohol-related content, surpassing our year-to-date target of 81 286 000. Education and awareness sessions also reached 14 500 parents, well above our target of 5 000. Among participating youth, 76 % reported an increased ability to resist peer pressure to drink, and 82 % indicated a reduction or complete abstinence from alcohol.
In our rehabilitation programmes, 303 children enrolled in the SANCA early detection and in-patient rehabilitation programme, closely matching our target of 317. Education sessions reached 65 parents, and at the endline survey, 66 % of participants demonstrated increased knowledge about alcohol risks, while 85 % reported the capacity to say no to alcohol. These results highlight the critical role of awareness, engagement and support in fostering lasting behaviour change among children and adolescents.
Hospitality businesses are uniquely positioned to support this shift. However, this can be challenging for a sector so often associated with leisure and celebration – occasions where alcohol traditionally plays a central role.
One of the simplest and most effective ways for the industry to make a difference is by consistently enforcing the legal drinking age. Under the South African liquor regulations, licenced establishments are not permitted to sell or serve alcohol to anyone under 18, a responsibility that forms part of their licence conditions. By upholding this commitment,
50 TRADE & TASTE / 2026