Vodka pulled from sale for appealing to children
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Written by Claire Weekes
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Monday, 13 October 2008 |
A vodka drink is to be removed from sale because it looks like a soft drink and could appeal to children.
The Portman Group has ruled that ShotPak vodka sachets encourage rapid and excessive drinking, following a complaint it received about the product from Sally Keeble, Northampton North's MP.
ShotPak drinks, which are imported from the USA and sold in 50ml plastic pouches, come in four flavours: ‘Apple Sour'; ‘Lemon Drop'; ‘Purple Hooter' and ‘Kamikaze', plus full-strength vodka, rum, tequila and whisky versions which are primarily marketed as STR8UP but which feature ShotPak branding.
The Independent Complaints Panel, which judges complaints under the Portman Group Code of Practice on the naming, packaging and promotion of alcoholic drinks, decided that ShotPak sachets could be mistaken for soft drinks.
The drinks also breach the Code for encouraging rapid drinking, after the panel decided that their packaging overall incited consumers to drink them in one go.
The panel also decided that the flavour names ‘Purple Hooter' and ‘Lemon Drop' would have particular appeal to under-18s and that ‘Kamikaze' is associated with self-destruction, which could incite excessive drinking.
David Poley, Portman Group Chief Executive, said:
"These drinks may be acceptable in the States but their marketing falls well short of the standards that UK producers have set themselves. Some of their names will be particularly popular in the playground. ‘Kamikaze' is a blatant breach of our Code for its association with bravado and danger.
"These drinks do not spell out their alcoholic content and the images of fruit add to the confusion over what is in them. They cannot be easily re-sealed and their soft packaging makes it hard to stand them up. That's why the Panel decided that this packaging is encouraging consumers to drink rapidly. Sally Keeble's complaint will prevent these imported drinks from getting a foothold in the market."
The drinks are produced by Florida-based Beverage Pouch Group and imported into the UK by Chilling Rocks Beverages Ltd. The Portman Group said it will now issue a retailer
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