Alcohol branding banned on children's kits

Updated 20.16 Sun Jun 03 2007

Keywords: under age, drinking, alcohol

Alcohol branding on children's replica sports shirts is to end following an agreement within the drinks industry that it is unnecessary for logos to be advertised in this manner.

The announcement by the Portman Group also comes after a public consultation on its Code of Practice on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic drinks.

Two Premiership football clubs, three Scottish Premier League clubs, nine county cricket clubs and a number of topflight rugby clubs could be affected by the move

The new restrictions will apply to all sponsorship contracts signed after January 1 next year.

Two Premiership football clubs, three Scottish Premier League clubs, nine county cricket clubs and a number of top-flight rugby clubs could be affected by the move.

Liverpool football club is currently sponsored by Carlsberg, while Everton's sponsor is Chang Beer, and Rangers' is Carling.

Rugby club Wasps has a sponsorship deal with Magner's cider while Essex County Cricket Club currently sports the Shepherd Neame logo.

The move comes less than a month after the Government announced a new scheme for alcoholic drinks to carry new warning labels.

In a voluntary agreement between ministers and the industry, all drinks will be expected to carry details of units and recommended safe drinking levels on their labels by the end of 2008.

At present, bottles and cans carry percentage details of alcohol and most carry unit information.