RTDs down but not out under new laws

The alcohol content of the RTDs will be limited to 5 per cent. Photo / Sian Howland

Ready-to-drink alcohol products preferred by young drinkers are to be watered down under new liquor reforms - but many will remain untouched by the changes.

The drinks, popular with teenagers, have alcohol levels ranging from 5 to 10 per cent.

But under liquor law reforms announced this week, the alcohol content of the alco-pops will be limited to 5 per cent.

That means fans of some of the syrupy concoctions will have to down their favourite flavour in a considerably weaker mix, or change their drink.

The move has received a guarded endorsement from Alcohol Healthwatch director Rebecca Williams, who said it stopped short of being a truly effective answer to the problems caused by RTDs.

The drinks are widely recognised as appealing almost exclusively to young drinkers, particularly females.

While a reduction in the alcohol content was a good thing, a more effective way to prevent abuse by young drinkers would be to target marketing campaigns, price promotions and availability, Ms Williams said.

A ban on RTDs was another option that should have been considered.

The drinks' largest market was among drinkers aged 14 to 18, with up to 65 per cent of young women favouring RTDs over other alcoholic drinks.

The proportion of young males consuming pre-mixed drinks reached a maximum of about 36 per cent around the 18- to 19-year-old age group, she said.

Hospitality Association chief executive Bruce Robertson said the move would have little effect on retail outlets, but the Government would have to be careful when it moved to define the term "ready to drink".

Lawmakers got themselves in to trouble when trying to redefine the term light spirits for the purposes of taxation.

Because of their haste, the definition wound up including sherry, meaning grandmothers were faced with the prospect of paying a much higher price for a bottle of their favourite tipple.

Independent Liquor, the market leader in alco-pop production, would not comment on the proposed maximum alcohol limit, but is understood to be formulating a response to theproposals.

DB Breweries has a modest 6 per cent share of the RTD market, and chief executive Brian Brake this week said most of its brands were at the lower end of the alcohol scale.