Disney branded non-alcoholic drinks marketed to children despite company pledge to ban them
A RANGE of Disney branded non-alcoholic drinks that resemble champagne are being marketed in the UK and Europe despite the company pledging to ban such products from sale more than one year ago.
Sparkling drinks featuring Disney’s Frozen brand, Planes, Princess Palace and Mickey Mouse were found listed for sale on UK website The Alcohol Free shop under a “children’s drinks” section. While clearly labelled as non-alcoholic, the products are described as a “delightful bottle of bubbly” that comes with a “cork that pops to add sparkle to any party.”
Similar products with Frozen and Cars branding were also spotted for sale in Croatia alongside bottles of wine and spirits.
It comes despite a Disney pledge in December 2015 the company would ban the manufacture of Disney products to look like alcohol following an outcry in the UK.
“As we set very high standards for the quality of products bearing the Disney name and characters, we have informed the manufacturer that we will no longer license Disney images to a product that is packaged to look like alcohol,” a spokesman for the company said at the time.
Non-alcoholic Frozen drinks for sale.Source:Supplied
A Frozen branded non-alcoholic champagne for sale in Croatia. Picture: news.com.au.Source:Supplied
The non-alcoholic products were for sale alongside wines and spirits.Source:Supplied
An alcohol free Disney drink for sale in the UK.Source:Supplied
The products appears for sale online despite the company saying it would pull the brands more than one year ago.Source:Supplied
The Alcohol Free Shop Managing Director Christine Humphreys said they’ve been selling the popular Disney products for “quite some time” with no interruptions despite the company’s statement.
She said the online-only retailer requires a credit or debit card for sale and is not the same as having products on store shelves, with purchases mainly made by parents for children’s birthdays.
“They’re not promoting alcohol, they’re promoting Disney,” she said. “We’re not selling to children. We’re an online shop…it’s perfectly harmless.”
While there is no evidence the non-alcoholic Disney drinks are available for sale in Australia, the Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s Policy Manager, Geoff Munro, said the “wine-like” product would spark opposition because it is being sold as if it is alcohol.
“The imagery on the bottle clearly targets children and would attract children,” he said.
“The product is wine-like, it is described as champagne-like, and the shape of the bottle approximates bottled wine. It offers children a pseudo-alcoholic drink and thereby suggests to children that they should be attracted to drinking alcohol.”
Mr Munro said the “relentless promotion” of alcohol is a health hazard for children, particularly as research has consistently showed a link between exposure to advertising and children’s intention and levels of drinking.
“This is a major concern because alcohol is toxic to the developing brain and early drinking is a predictor of later alcohol dependency and health problems,” he said.
He said while alcohol advertising is banned from television before 8:30pm in Australia, the exception for sporting events should be overturned.
“It is an exemption that makes no sense given that it is widely acknowledged that children should be protected from alcohol advertising. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation certainly agrees that it’s important children are not exposed to alcohol advertising,” he said.
Disney failed to respond to requests for comment.