Simpsons’ Duff beer banned down under

Woolworths Liquor Group has been forced to pull cans of its “Duff” beer from the shelves after it was found in breach of the Australian alcohol advertising code, just months after the product was launched.

The Alcohol Policy Coalition complained to Australia’s the Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC), that the product had a “strong or evident appeal to children or adolescents” due to its association with The Simpsons television series.

It added that because of such an association, children might be encouraged to drink Duff beer.

The complaint was this week upheld despite a Woolworths Liquor Group spokeswoman telling The Herald Sun it had received ABAC approval for Duff advertisements prior to its launch.

In banning the beer the ABAC said: “The Simpsons series is well known and very popular with children and adolescents.

“The association of The Simpsons with the product name and packaging is so strongly entrenched in Australian popular culture that the name and packaging will draw the attention of under 18 year olds.”

The beer, which is brewed in the US by the Woolworths Liquor Group’s exclusive brands division Pinnacle Liquor Group and is officially licensed by 20th Century Fox, was launched in May.

A spokesperson for Woolworths Liquor group said: “We respect the panel’s adjudication and will discontinue the stock,”

“We note that the ABAC adjudication panel states in its decision: `The panel accepts that the supplier (Woolworths Liquor Group) is committed to the standards of good alcohol beverage marketing contained in ABAC’.”