News / Beer
Bristol brewery’s artwork deemed to target under-18s
A St Anne’s brewery has vowed not to change the artwork on the can of one of its best selling beers, despite a complaint being upheld by the UK drinks industry’s regulatory body.
The design of Lost & Grounded’s Running with Sceptres India pale lager was deemed by the Portman Group to have a particular appeal to under-18s.
A second complaint against another Lost & Grounded beer, Keller Pils, was not upheld.
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Lost & Grounded co-founder Annie Clements said: “Running with Sceptres is our second-highest selling product, and it has taken many years of hard work to gain its current popularity.
“The branding is no different to the multitude of other brands on the market that utilise an artistic style. We operate as a responsible business and would never market products to appeal to under-18s.
“This product is integral to our brand story, and a change to its branding would be costly, and to do this based on a single complaint is simply not practical and has the potential to cause significant financial damage to our small, independent business.”
The Lost & Grounded team at their St Anne’s brewery – photo courtesy of Lost & Grounded
Chair of the Portman Group’s independent complaints panel, Jenny Watson, said: “Lost & Grounded created an engaging can, but unfortunately the panel felt that the prominence of the cartoon animals made it particularly appealing to children.
“We understand that producers want to use creative illustrators and we would encourage all producers to make full use of the Portman Group’s free advisory service before launching a product.”
In response to the ruling, James Calder, chief executive of the Society of Independent Brewers, said: “Self-regulation of the industry is important and we as producers have responsibilities.
“But the Portman Group code and the independent panel need to understand the need for proportionate regulation based on the likelihood of a product doing actual harm.
“We’d like to see the Portman Group move to a system where, like other regulators, numerous complaints are needed to trigger an investigation. This ruling will cause significant damage to a brewery with good ethics and business at its core.”
Lost & Grounded have collaborated with photographer Martin Parr – image: Lost & Grounded
Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy has already offered her support to the brewery, which opened on Whitby Road in 2016, and has written to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Beer to highlight the case.
She said: “It’s hugely unfair that Lost & Grounded, a Living Wage brewery based in my constituency, can be targeted in such a way, and see one of their most popular products removed from stores as a result of a single complaint.
“Alcohol companies, of course, have a responsibility to sensibly market their products, but this ruling is the result of a misapplication of the rules through a flawed process.
“I hope that the Portman Group revises its decision and allows Lost & Grounded to continue selling this beer to its signatories.”
Main image: Lost & Grounded
Read more: Lost & Grounded collaborate with Martin Parr for trio of unique beers
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