The Portman Group, the body that publishes the code of practice on marketing alcoholic drinks, said in its annual report today that the complaints had led to eight products being withdrawn either permanently or until their packaging was redesigned.
Many of the complaints surrounded drinks with names such as Sex on the Beach, Quickie and Stiffys Shots, drawing complaints from the industry and the public that they were in breach of the code.
Vodka brand Vladivar saw its website featuring a picture of a woman holding two vibrators and lines such as "fancy a threesome?" deemed in breach of the code for association with sexual success, with owner Whyte & Mackay told to take greater care in future.
The other major cause of complaint were products that breached the code because of their association with violent or anti-social behaviour, or their appeal to under-18s.
Shotz, a series of brightly coloured drinks in test-tubes with names such as Foreplay and Blow Job, were found in breach of the code for appealing to under-18s, with Spencers Drinks told to change the packaging.
Even Marks & Spencer was not immune from falling foul of the code, with a Valentine's Day drink called Love Potion withdrawn after the panel decided its labelling was confusing -- although a second complaint that it was alluding to sexual success was dropped.
Jean Coussins, chief executive of the Portman Group, said that requests to the body's pre-launch advice service increased by over one-third during 2004.
"Drinks producers have learned that it pays to get it right first time and avoid launching problem products on to the market in the first place," she said.
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