An alcoholic drinks promotion targeted at Leaving Cert students and advertised on a Bebo website has been described as “reprehensible” by the complaints panel of a drinks industry body.
The indepdendent complaints panel of Meas, which stands for Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol in Society, published its findings on a number of matters today.
It expressed “deep concern” that the Purty Kitchen of Temple Bar in Dublin had targeted and advertised alcohol promotions to schools where the majority of students were under 18, and therefore under the legal age limit to buy alcohol.
The promotion aimed at teenagers in over 40 Dublin schools said all drinks would be €2 at the event, including “Redcups, Supersoakers, Jello Shots, Bongs, Strippers, Jaeger Olympics and loads more”. Tickets were €15 each.
According to the panel, a supersoaker is a water pistol in the shape of a machine gun. It is filled with vodka which is squirted into the mouths of patrons.
Jello shots involve mixing vodka with jelly and eating it once it has set.
“Jaeger Olympics is a drinking game and involves drinking alcohol at a fast pace. Bongs are conical shaped containers which are filled with alcohol. The alcohol is consumed via a tube attached to the bong; the tube is passed from person to person," the Meas panel said.
It said such a promotion was “reprehensible” and that these drinking games clearly fell within the category of irresponsible promotions under Meas guidelines.
It said they entailed “a disproportionate risk that they will lead directly to alcohol misuse and anti-social behaviour”.
Meas chief executive Fionnuala Sheehan said she hoped the findings would be heeded by nightclubs and bars generally, and that they would act responsibly to ensure that events that could encourage alcohol abuse were avoided.
She said the Purty Kitchen had agreed to withdraw the reference to the drinking games in the Bebo advertisement and to ensure all future promotions would comply with the Meas code of practice.
The panel also upheld a complaint in relation to an alcohol promotion at Sally O’ Brien’s Bar and Nightclub in Arklow, Co Wicklow.
The nightclub had advertised the event via text message and a Bebo website, and promised “Free bar between 8 & 9 and food on collection of your card”.
The club claimed that the complimentary drinks offer was put in place to thank members for their support, and to apologise for the delay in the distribution of membership cards.
But the panel said the availability of a free bar, without any limitation specified on the amount of free alcohol, was clearly advertised by the premises.
“In light of this the management of the premises was open to challenge by patrons seeking more than a single complimentary drink.”
The panel can examine complaints that certain alcohol promotions may “encourage illegal, irresponsible or immoderate consumption, such as binge-drinking, drunkenness or drink-driving”