Supermarkets in the UK have been told to stop selling beer made by 1979 Formula One world champion Jody Scheckter because of the beer’s logo.
Scheckter, who has been producing organic food and drink from his Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire for the past decade, features a smiling farmer on his logo. The farmer was drawn by his son Freddie when he was four years old and is a picture of his father.
Alcohol watchdogs are concerned that the label could encourage youngsters to drink the beer. Apparently a complaint has been received by industry-funded watchdog the Portman Group stating that the drawing on Laverstock Park’s alcoholic products is the same image that is also used on their apple juice. This is apparently against marketing rules as it means it could appeal to children.
Should any shops fail to remove the products from their shelves within three months, they could face legal action by trading standards and potentially could then lose their alcohol trading licenses.
Scheckter is quoted by the Daily Mail as saying, “I am going to fight this. The decision is ridiculous.
“I can’t think of any teenager, even a ten-year-old, who’d think the labels are cool. We don’t sell anything to children. I can’t see how anyone in their right mind thinks this image encourages under-age drinkers. This could cost me a lot of business.”
