Complaints by members of the public about the marketing of alcoholic drinks has risen to record levels, according to the drinks industry-funded group Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol in Society (Meas).
A complaints panel established by Meas dealt with more cases in the second half of last year than in the previous three years, according to the second report on the organisation's code of practice, published yesterday.
All but one of the 13 complaints received were found to have breached the code of practice but only six were upheld because, in a number of cases, it was found that bar managers had made reasonable efforts to ensure that an external promotion did not take place.
The code enjoins licenceholders not to encourage irresponsible or immoderate drinking, to suggest any association between drink and sexual prowess or to appeal to under-18s.
Meas chief executive Fionnuala Sheehan said a combination of legislation and voluntary codes were proving effective in tackling irresponsible alcohol promotions. She pointed out that some of the complaints received had been referred to the Garda.
Dr Gordon Holmes, chairman of the complaints panel, said the pricing of alcohol was problematic. Many supermarkets and off-licences were selling drink at "surprisingly low prices".
While most complaints came from members of the public, the Vinters' Federation of Ireland (VFI) complained about a Scottish product, Stiffys Shots.
The VFI said the product name brought to mind "connotations" of an erection and suggested someone drinking it would be more virile.
It also complained about the claim that the product had "the classic old school cola cubes flavour"; the VFI pointed out that cola cubes are popular sweets eaten by children.
The brand owner said Stiffy was the nickname of the person who invented the product. However, the complaints panel ruled that the marketing of the product could cause confusion with non-alcoholic drinks and upheld the complaint.
Another complaint was prompted by a drinks promotion in Davitts Bar, Dungarvan, in which the shot of the week was a "horny banana". The complaint was upheld after the panel found that this breached the code by suggesting a link with sexual prowess. However, the panel noted that the bar owner had withdrawn the advertisement after contact from Meas.
A complaint about Feckin Irish Whiskey and its label, which referred to its ingredients as "infamy, dishonesty and villainy", was not upheld. The panel found that while the labelling was distasteful it did not have sexual connotations that breached the code.
