New code of practice will restrict style of advertising used to promote `alcopops'

A code of practice for the marketing, promotion and sale of alcoholic drinks - particularly to under-18s - has been introduced. It will require so-called "alcopops" - alcoholic soft drinks targeted primarily at young people - to be labelled with details of their alcoholic content and will restrict the style of advertising used to promote them.

The code follows negotiations between representatives of the drinks trade and the Minister of State for Labour, Trade and Consumer Affairs, Mr Tom Kitt. The code is aimed mainly at alcopops, marketed under such names as Woodys, Hooch, Grog, Mugshot and Mule.

Some supermarkets, including Superquinn and Quinnsworth, stopped selling the drinks earlier this year, following the negative publicity they were attracting here and in Britain, where they originated in 1995.

Last August, Mr Kitt described them as "insidious concoctions cynically aimed at the impressionability and vulnerability of youth". Mr Philip Smith, managing director of the United Beverages company, which manufactures Woodys, described Mr Kitt's intervention at the time as "selfpromotion".

Negotiations between the Minister and the Drinks Industry Group, which represents producers, importers, wholesalers and retailers in the drinks trade, led to the code announced yesterday.

At a press conference, Mr Michael Murphy, representing the drinks industry, said that alcopops had never been as successful in Ireland as they had been in Britain and in recent months sales here had been "quite substantially in decline".

An independent arbitration panel has been set up to adjudicate on complaints from the public alleging breaches of the code. It will be chaired by the former Garda Commissioner, Mr Eamon Doherty, and will include Ms Ann Woods, of the Consumers' Association of Ireland, and Mr Murphy.

The principles of the code of practice will apply to all alcoholic drinks, but with particular emphasis on "single-serve" bottles containing between 200ml and 330ml of "spirit pre-mixes, fruit-based and flavoured products, coolers, ciders and beers" which have an alcohol strength of over 1.2 per cent. Where marketing is concerned, labels/packaging etc must indicate that the drink is alcoholic and give its strength.

The trade must not encourage "illegal, irresponsible or immoderate consumption" or "encourage consumption, purchase or sale to under-18s". Drinks should not be more likely to appeal to under18s through the use of icons or imagery drawn from the under18s culture.

Where merchandising is concerned, all alcoholic drinks must be clearly distinguished when on display, and every reasonable effort must be made, where coolers/fridges are used, not to place alcoholic drinks next to soft drinks.

Launching the code yesterday, Mr Kitt said it was no longer enough for governments to content themselves solely with economic objectives. "Equal priority must be afforded to community well-being and consumer health", he said. Mr Murphy said that successful complaints to the arbitration panel would mean products would not be sold by the State's drink retailers.

Members of the public with complaints about possible breaches of the code can write to The Secretary, Drinks Industry Group, Anglesea House, Anglesea Road, Dublin 4.