In a collaborative effort to reshape South Africa’s tavern landscape, HEINEKEN Beverages, in partnership with the Achievement Awards Group (AAGroup), continues to make strides in promoting responsible alcohol trading through its Bansela Responsible Trading Reward Programme.
The programme, which forms part of HEINEKEN Beverages’ broader Tavern Transformation initiative, serves as a powerful case study in how education, behavioural science, and recognition can drive meaningful behaviour change across the informal retail sector.
Backed by AAGroup’s 40+ years of expertise in rewards and recognition programmes, Bansela leverages behavioural science-driven insights to support tavern owners in building safe, compliant, and profitable outlets. Through consistent engagement, on-the-ground training, and incentives for responsible behaviour, the programme has helped foster safer drinking environments while reinforcing business sustainability for traders.
Empowering Taverns, Shaping Communities
“HEINEKEN Beverages’ key objective with the Bansela initiative is to educate tavern owners, empowering them to create safe social spaces, comply with legal and ethical standards, and promote responsible consumption through low- or no-alcohol alternatives and food offerings. At its core, this is about enabling taverns – which are integral to our township economies – to thrive as sustainable, responsible businesses,” says Millicent Maroga, Corporate Affairs Director at HEINEKEN Beverages.
As a foundation of the Tavern Transformation programme, Bansela has already demonstrated tangible impact. Since implementation, tavern owners have received over R6,6 million in rewards for upholding responsible trading principles. Surveyed compliance rates have grown from 72% to 80% between November 2023 and May 2024, reflecting a shift in both mindset and behaviour among participants.
The campaign has also introduced creative activations like the Mzansi Cook Initiative, the Kasi Cook-Off, and high-value rewards including tavern makeovers, bakkies, and cash prizes – all reinforcing the value of doing the right thing.
From Recognition to Results
Designed and executed by AAGroup, the programme integrates education, performance tracking, and strategic reward mechanisms to create an ecosystem of shared accountability among tavern owners, staff, and patrons. AAGroup’s human-centred and tech-enabled approach enables real-time engagement and accurate performance measurement, ensuring transparency and continuous improvement.
“What sets this campaign apart is its holistic approach to behaviour change – combining consistent training, community engagement, and tiered rewards to encourage responsible trading at every level of the tavern ecosystem,” explains Cezanne Joynt, Client Service Manager at AAGroup. “It’s not about boosting sales at any cost. It’s about compliance, sustainability, and trust.”
By working with stakeholders including provincial liquor boards, SAPS, Aware.org and local municipalities, the programme is embedded within a broader framework of collective responsibility. Participating taverns display Bansela RT Certificates to signal their commitment to safe, responsible operations – further building customer trust and social cohesion.
A Scalable Model for Impact
For AAGroup, Bansela represents a benchmark for how loyalty mechanics and behavioural science can be combined to solve complex social challenges. With over 1 000 campaigns executed for South Africa’s Top 200 companies, the organisation brings unmatched depth and scale in loyalty strategy.
“As a purpose-led business, we see this as more than a campaign – it’s a movement. Through our work with HEINEKEN Beverages, we’re demonstrating how smart incentives and sustained engagement can drive meaningful, measurable change across communities,” adds Joynt.
For HEINEKEN Beverages, the Bansela RT Programme is not just an award-winning campaign – it’s a foundational step in transforming how township taverns operate, reinforcing the brand’s long-term commitment to responsible trading and community wellbeing.
