Analysts say the ambiguity by authorities around the new alcohol policy is deliberate, leaving uncertainty over how far the shift might go.
Sebastian Sons, a senior researcher at German think tank Carpo, which focuses on the Middle East, says the authorities are moving cautiously. “They are willing to go two steps forward and one step back, if necessary, when it comes to sensitive issues. With alcohol, it could be the same.”
Alcohol is prohibited under Islamic law, and religious observance remains strong across much of Saudi Arabia’s local population.
Yet despite the ban, for decades, alcohol has circulated out of public view – from homemade brews to imported labels – consumed at private parties, in gated residential compounds, and in well-stocked Saudi homes.
A significant share of branded alcohol enters the informal market through embassies, which have long been allowed to import unlimited quantities under diplomatic privileges. Others turned to the black market, where unregulated homemade alcohol and expensive smuggled supplies continue to circulate.
