Coronavirus Impact: Czechs Buy Food, Beer Vouchers For A Rainy Day

Coronavirus Impact: Over nearly a month, Czech citizens have been buying beer and food vouchers to the extent of CZK 360,000 on an average every day. When do they plan to use these vouchers? The answer is—when life gets better and when the average citizens can quaff a pint of beer.

This interesting concept was first rolled out by a website, Zachraň pivo! (Save the Beer!) which turned out to be a roaring success. The new Zachraň svou hospodu! (Save Your Pub!) website helps people to buy vouchers for later use when Czech pubs would re-open. The initiative is a collective effort of about a dozen breweries and alcoholic drinks manufacturers who are among the biggest in Czech Republic. Soft drinks producers are also a part of the initiative.

As is the case with other establishments, pubs have been badly hit by the Coronavirus pandemic sweeping through continents.

The brewers feel a need to forge a bond and support each other. Beer, for decades, has been an integral part of the lifestyle of the Czechs. Coronavirus has altered lifestyles dramatically to the extent that most of the pubs and breweries have now been shut. In effect, an essential part of Czech culture has now become inaccessible since pubs are central to communities in the Czech society.

The "Save your pub!" project under the umbrella organisation of Czech Association of Breweries and Malthouses, has around 2,500 pubs registered with it. Customers can go to the Save the Pub! website and pick establishments by region, district, or neighbourhood.

Nearly 4,000 people had bought vouchers through the system by Tuesday. Some have bought vouchers for a few pints, others for a whole night for two. Across the Czech Republic around 50,000 pubs had to shut down after the government enforced steps to check the transmission of the Coronavirus pandemic.