AP: Saudi Arabia quietly expands alcohol sales to elite foreigners

Saudi Arabia has discreetly widened access to its only legal alcohol outlet, allowing wealthy foreign residents to purchase alcohol as part of the kingdom’s cautious social liberalisation drive, per The Associated Press (AP).

The unmarked store, located in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, was opened in January 2024 exclusively for non-Muslim diplomats. Under the new, unannounced rules, non-Muslim foreigners holding Saudi Arabia’s Premium Residency permit are now also eligible to buy alcohol. The permit is granted to high-income professionals, investors and entrepreneurs with specialized skills.

Although authorities have made no official statement, the change has become widely known. Long lines of cars and customers have been reported outside the tightly controlled shop, which resembles a duty-free outlet and operates under strict security measures. Visitors undergo eligibility checks, frisking, and are required to leave phones and cameras outside; even eyewear is inspected for smart technology.

The Associated Press spoke with several customers who described the store as moderately well-stocked, though with a limited selection of beer and wine. Prices were described as sharply elevated. While diplomats remain exempt from taxes, Premium Residency holders are not. All customers spoke on condition of anonymity, citing social stigma surrounding alcohol consumption.

Alcohol has been banned in Saudi Arabia since the early 1950s, when founding monarch King Abdulaziz outlawed its sale following a 1951 incident in which his son, Prince Mishari, fatally shot British vice consul Cyril Ousman while intoxicated. The ban remains in place for the general public.

For most Saudis and residents seeking alcohol, options remain limited. Many travel to neighbouring Bahrain, where alcohol is legally available to Muslims and non-Muslims, making the island a popular weekend destination. Others fly to Dubai, while some resort to smuggled or homemade alcohol—often costly and potentially dangerous.

For now, alcohol sales in the kingdom remain highly restricted, discreet and symbolic, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s attempt to balance economic modernisation with deeply rooted religious and social norms.

By Khagan Isayev