Sainsbury’s axes ‘misleading’ liqueur
UK supermarket Sainsbury’s has discontinued its Tiramisu Rum Liqueur after a complaint was upheld over the packaging’s lack of clear alcohol information.
The Portman Group’s Independent Complaints Panel (ICP) received a complaint from Zenith Global Commercial regarding a Tiramisu Rum Liqueur produced and sold by UK supermarket Sainsbury’s.
Zenith said the product did not clearly state that it contained alcohol on its label, claiming that instead, it resembled a ready-to-drink (RTD) tea and would be misleading to consumers.
Industry watchdog the Portman Group upheld the complaint, noting that it had breached Code 3.1 which states that a product must communicate its alcoholic content on packaging with absolute clarity.
In its defence, Sainsbury’s argued the product’s alcoholic nature was clear through the name, Tiramisu Rum Liqueur, which was on the swing tag on the neck of the bottle. It also noted that the liqueur’s ABV was stated on the swing tag with ‘20% vol 50cl’ and that the cork was marked as alcoholic.
The retailer also pointed to the description of the product on the rear tag, which detailed that it was a “a delicious blend of Caribbean rum, dark chocolate and coffee… creating a decadent liqueur”.
Regarding the claim that it looked like a tea RTD, Sainsbury’s said this was unsubstantiated, highlighting that the glass bottle with a cork-style stopper and gold foiling was not characteristic for a tea-based RTD.
However, the panel noted that no information was printed on the bottle, and that only the swing tag featured alcohol-related details.
In its decision, the panel also considered that the tag could be easily removed and was not securely attached, and that it could be discarded if given as a gift.
The ICP concluded that the packaging could mislead the consumer on whether it contains alcohol.
Chair of the ICP Rachel Childs said: “Ensuring all important information is clear, visible and not easily removed is vital to make sure the consumer is informed as to the alcoholic nature of a product.
“If there is any room for confusion or ambiguity then the panel have little choice but to uphold a complaint, such as they did in this case.”
Sainsbury’s has now discontinued the product, which was released as part of a trio of dessert-inspired liqueurs for Christmas last year.
In August 2023, Au Vodka axed its gun-shaped merchandise after a complaint was upheld by the Portman Group.
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