Mohammedia – Moroccan authorities have stepped up enforcement actions against unlicensed mobile coffee carts and street food vendors across several cities, as the country finalized preparations to host the Africa Cup of Nations.
The campaign, which began over the weekend and coincided with the tournament’s opening days, targets informal commercial activities operating outside legal, tax, and health regulations, particularly in public streets and high-traffic areas.
Local administrations, supported by security services and inspection teams, have launched field operations to confiscate mobile coffee vehicles and food carts that do not hold official permits.
In cities such as Casablanca and Tangier, authorities have enforced a full ban on selling coffee from cars or informal stalls in public spaces, citing the need to organize urban areas and ensure public safety during the continental football event.
According to converging reports, similar measures are expected to continue in other host and non-host cities throughout the competition.
Authorities say the campaign is primarily aimed at limiting disorder in public spaces, regulating unstructured commercial activity, and protecting the health of residents and visiting supporters.
Officials have warned that food and beverage sales outside approved frameworks pose potential hygiene risks, particularly during an international event expected to draw large crowds from across Africa and beyond.
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Daily monitoring operations are planned, with an emphasis on strict enforcement and coordination between local services to ensure compliance.
The move comes after sustained pressure from professional café and restaurant owners, who have repeatedly raised concerns about the rapid spread of unlicensed mobile coffee sales across Moroccan cities.
In previous statements, representatives of the sector criticized what they described as the uncontrolled proliferation of informal coffee vendors operating openly without oversight.
They have called on the Interior Ministry to issue clear directives to local authorities and to establish a regulatory framework that would define licensing conditions and enforcement mechanisms.
Café owners argue that informal vendors create unfair competition for businesses that pay taxes, contribute to social security systems, and comply with health and safety standards.
Many operators in the formal sector have faced mounting financial pressure in recent years, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, which left some struggling to settle accumulated social and local tax obligations.
Industry representatives say the growth of mobile coffee carts has further strained an already fragile sector.
At the same time, mobile coffee carts have become a source of income for many young people amid limited employment opportunities, highlighting the broader challenge of balancing public order, economic inclusion, and regulation.
As Morocco seeks to present an orderly image during AFCON, the campaign underscores a longer-term debate over how to address the informal economy beyond the tournament itself.
