Alcopops claim hard to swallow

The country's biggest liquor chain has been marketing alcopops - with pornography - as "quite possibly mankind's greatest achievement".

The Herald on Sunday discovered the provocative advertisement this week on Liquorland's website, during an investigation into how RTDs (ready-to-drink spirits) are promoted to young people.

It read: "Ah, modern life! Your chips come ready-salted, pornography is freely available right there on your computer ... and if you can't be arsed mixing your spirits and splits there are a bunch of folks who'll do it for you."

It comes after 20-year-old Frances Stubbs drank four Vault RTDs before speeding away from a police alcohol checkpoint in Blenheim last month. She allegedly hit and killed grandmother Penelope Phillips.

Liquorland pulled the advertising statement from the RTDs and cocktails page of its online store, after an approach from this newspaper.

The company did not answer a question about whether it marketed RTDs to young people.

Instead, it responded with an emailed statement from its PR firm, stating it does not support under-age drinking and it does not market to minors.

Gerard Vaughan, chief executive of the Alcohol Advisory Council, said the council is discussing limits on RTD alcohol strength and container size because the alcohol taste can be masked by sweeteners and flavourings.