Alcopops: teenage danger

Double Crackdown on Teenage Drinkers

Ministers also want to expand proof of identity schemes before allowing young people of legal drinking age to buy alcohol. The Home Office Minister, George Howarth, hopes that these measures -- as well as a new industry code of conduct -- will tackle what is seen as the growing problem of teenage drinking.

Home Office Minister, George Howarth tells the Today Programme it is time to clamp down

The police will have new powers to confiscate alcohol from those under eighteen caught drinking in public.

The Portman Group, a self-regulatory drinks industry watchdog funded by seven major manufacturers, is publishing a new code of conduct. Under the proposals, shops and pubs will be urged to boycott alcopops which breach a tough new code on targeting the drinks at youngsters. Retailers who fail to respond could lose their liquor licences.

The package of measures will also force alcopop makers to submit their products to pre-launch vetting for the first time in a bid to stop problem drinks ever reaching the shop shelves.

The Government steering group set up to investigate the problem of alcopops has stopped short of an outright ban on the products following the revamped code.

The colour, taste and texture of a drink will also be taken into account by the Independent Complaints Panel. A "retailer alert" will be issued whenever a complaint is upheld, and shop keepers will be given weeks to clear it from their shelves.

Portman Group director Jean Coussins said: "Manufacturers and retailers who ignore the code will pay a high price, socially and commercially. The vast majority of the drinks industry has already shown its strong commitment to the code. The new enforcement measures are designed to ensure that offending products are squeezed out of the market."

A Home Office spokeswoman said the Government measures would "complement" those of the Portman Group. "We are very pleased the industry has taken on board our concerns," she said. "We think it's a good test for the industry and we hope that better and stronger regulation will have the desired effect. The minister will be delivering his response later with measures to complement the code."

Director Eric Appleby said: "We have little confidence that very much will change until the present voluntary code is replaced by an independent statutory one."