British trade body Portman Group has imposed a ban on Red Cross Army vodka, claiming that its gun-shaped packaging is inappropriate and associated to violence and aggression.
The move comes after the trade group has received a compliant from the Independent Complaints Panel of the Responsible Retailing Code of Northern Ireland against the packaging of the vodka, which is owned by Polish company Bartex Bartol.
The trade body has also ordered Red Army Vodka to revamp its packaging by 19 June 2014.
Portman Group chief executive Henry Ashworth said that strict UK alcohol marketing rules specifically prohibit an alcoholic drink from being sold if it has any association with bravado, or with violent, aggressive, dangerous or anti-social behavior.
"On this occasion, the Panel ruled that the product name in the context of the packaging, together with the packaging itself, was too strongly linked to these themes. We therefore appeal to retailers not to stock the product its current packaging after 20 June," added Ashworth.
Bartex Bartol was quoted by thespiritsbusiness.com as saying, "Simply just a glass bottle in the shape of a gun, sold as a gift pack, and that it had nothing to do with weapons or violence."
