Kids beer

RomanticViolence - 7-18-2006 at 10:26 PM

"Even kids cannot stand life unless they have a drink."

What do you think about this?

[url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/21/wbeer21.xml]Kids beer[/url]

A children's soft drink designed to look exactly like beer has been condemned as "dangerous" and "inappropriate" by anti-alcohol campaigners, who fear that it will encourage under-age drinking.

Kids' Beer, a non-alcoholic drink from Japan which tastes similar to cola, is expected to arrive in shops in Britain soon. It is sold in brown glass bottles and has a frothy, lager-like head when poured. The labels, which depict cartoon characters, carry the slogan: "Even kids cannot stand life unless they have a drink."

Kids' Beer looks like lager and is sold in brown glass bottles
One advertisement for Kids' Beer, known as "kodomo biiru" in Japan, shows a boy crying because he has failed a maths test and then weeping for joy after drinking the beverage.

Another reads: "For you who cannot drink, a bubbly head that you will like and a fizzy flavour that spreads refreshment through your body - perfect for those evenings when you want to be a bit like an adult."

The advertisement shows a man clinking his beer glass with his young daughter's glass of Kids' Beer.

Satoshi Tomoda, the president of Tomomasu, the company that makes the drink, said its appeal was its ability to make children feel mature. "Children always copy adults," he said. "If you have this drink at events attended by kids, it would make the occasions even more entertaining."

The drink, which sells for ?1.90 a bottle, has proved popular with young drinkers in Japan, where the legal age for drinking alcohol is 20.

Launched two years ago, it sells 75,000 bottles a month and is available at more than 150 restaurants and supermarkets across Japan.

The drink, which contains guarana, a South American herb with reputed stimulant properties, was created by Yuichi Asaba, a restaurant manager. Tomomasu plans to export the drink to Britain and other European countries.

Tim Loughton, the shadow minister for children, said that he was "deeply horrified" that Kids' Beer could soon be available in Britain.

"This product would be an alarming development for a nation which is already succumbing to a binge-drinking culture," he said.

"If manufacturers encourage children to have a dry-run for drinking, it will only train children to experiment with real alcohol even earlier. Are we to expect cheeseburger flavour baby pur?e next?"

A spokesman for the Portman Group, an organisation that promotes responsible drinking, criticised Tomomasu's marketing campaign for Kids' Beer as "very dangerous".

He said: "The way this drink is promoted, showing young people absolutely desperate for a drink, risks fostering harmful attitudes. Children need better education about alcohol but this is not the way for them to learn."

Alcohol Concern, the national agency on alcohol misuse, also attacked the manufacturers of Kids' Beer for "glamorising" the appeal of alcohol for young people.

However, the British Soft Drinks Association said that there was no reason why Kids' Beer should not be sold in Britain, provided it used "greater sensitivity" with its marketing.

newbreedbrian - 7-18-2006 at 11:09 PM

scary....what if young teenagers start drinking because of this? wouldn't that be crazy? i hope it doesn't come to that. oh lordy.....please.

XnMeX - 7-19-2006 at 06:59 AM

It would never make it's way over here.

Voodoobillyman - 7-19-2006 at 08:23 AM

i'm mixed on it........

XHonusWagnerX - 7-19-2006 at 08:45 AM

I think its kind of a bad idea, but the majority of kids are not going to start drinking REAL beer or alcohol because of it. I used to have candy ciggarettes and Ive never smoked. Ive also played drinking games with a 40 oz bottle full of apple juice.

XnMeX - 7-19-2006 at 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by XHonusWagnerX
I think its kind of a bad idea, but the majority of kids are not going to start drinking REAL beer or alcohol because of it. I used to have candy ciggarettes and Ive never smoked. Ive also played drinking games with a 40 oz bottle full of apple juice.

Reminds me of the last time I was at Justin's house for a party. Lori asked me to grab her a glass of iced tea and as I was heading back with it, I looked at my friend Kenny and said "Did Justin tell you I broke edge?" *takes gulp from glass* He looks at me and goes "Holy shit Monty! We are gonna fucking party soo fucking hard now!"..... Then I burst his bubble and let him know it was tea.