Dare Babalola
In a significant and exclusive move, Saudi Arabia has quietly lifted its decades-long ban on alcohol sales in Riyadh, but only for wealthy residents who hold a premium residency visa, marking a major shift in the kingdom’s strict social policies.
New York Times reports that a liquor store has discreetly opened in Riyadh, catering exclusively to non-Muslim holders of the premium residency visa, offering a selection of whiskey and champagne to this elite group.
The premium residency, a selective status typically granted to wealthy or highly skilled foreigners working in government-owned entities or key sectors, is a prerequisite for accessing this new liquor store.
With no official announcement about a shift in the kingdom’s conservative Islamic policies, shoppers who ventured into the store described a buzzing scene: eager buyers, mostly new to the experience, swarmed the aisles, racking up thousands of dollars in alcohol purchases.
The relaxed entry rules came hand-in-hand with a dual-pricing system, according to several customers: diplomats paid one steep price, while premium residents faced an even higher markup.
Though it is unclear who owns the store, several details about how it operates suggest the government is involved.
Once infamous for its religious police, strict dress code, and ban on women driving, Saudi Arabia now hosts mixed-gender raves, and Saudi women are free to drive, work, and travel abroad as they please.
The Saudi government officially outlawed alcohol in the 1950s.
Branded alcohol often entered the informal market through embassies, which were able to import an unlimited supply of alcohol in diplomatic shipments until the government ended that system in January 2024.
