The Polish government announced on Wednesday, the 2nd of October, that it will amend the country’s rules on the advertising and sale of alcoholic beverages after OLV started selling vodka packaged in coloured packets similar to those used to sell children’s fruit purees, reports Politico.
Following the outcry, the company announced that it would recall the “alcohol tubes”, as they were dubbed, and stop producing them altogether.
A journalist shared a photo showing OVL’s Voodoo Monkey alcohol pouches being sold in a shop in boxes designed to sell non-alcoholic fruit purees.
Wygoda to mus – a w środku alkohol w tubkach na półkach musów dla dzieci i młodzieży. Polska 2024. pic.twitter.com/Ww3oNmT3PJ
— Maja Staśko ?? (@majakstasko) September 30, 2024
Szymon Hołownia, one of Poland’s most prominent politicians, said the vodka product was “pure evil” and the reaction has now led to efforts to amend the rules governing the sale, advertising and packaging of alcohol in Poland.
The scandal led to the suspension of Piotr Jabłoński, head of the National Centre for Addiction Prevention, who, according to the Health Ministry, “underestimated the problem”.
“We have accelerated work on legislative changes and new rules have been added to restrict alcohol advertising and increase penalties for inappropriate sales. Packaging may also be addressed,” Deputy Health Minister Wojciech Konieczny said on Wednesday.
The government has yet to decide whether the changes will be introduced by a decree to be drawn up by the agriculture, health and finance ministries, or by amendments to the relevant law or laws in parliament, which would take longer.