Editing Alcopop (section)

== Attempts to discourage ==
=== Australia ===
The Australian government increased the tax on these drinks under the [[2008 Australian federal budget|2008 budget]] to the same rate as spirits, volumetrically, in an effort to stop [[binge drinking]]. The tax was criticized by the opposition as a tax grab, and voted down in the Senate on March 18, 2009.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/national/alcopops-tax-fails-to-pass-senate-20090318-91zw.html Alcopops tax fails to pass Senate], ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 18 March 2009.</ref> Before its rejection, the tax had already raised at least A$290 million after April 2008.<ref name=TryAgain/> In April 2009, some Labor party MPs planned to resubmit the tax to the Senate,<ref name=TryAgain>[http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25337669-421,00.html Government to try again with alcopops tax] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418161735/http://www.news.com.au/story/0%2C27574%2C25337669-421%2C00.html |date=2009-04-18 }}, news.com.au, 15 April 2009.</ref> and it was finally approved in August 2009, increasing the tax on the drinks from $39.36 to $66.67 per litre of alcohol.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gale |first1=Marianne |last2=Muscatello |first2=David J. |last3=Dinh |first3=Michael |last4=Byrnes |first4=Joshua |last5=Shakeshaft |first5=Anthony |last6=Hayen |first6=Andrew |last7=MacIntyre |first7=Chandini Raina |last8=Haber |first8=Paul |last9=Cretikos |first9=Michelle |last10=Morton |first10=Patricia |date=2015-05-06 |title=Alcopops, taxation and harm: a segmented time series analysis of emergency department presentations |journal=BMC Public Health |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=468 |doi=10.1186/s12889-015-1769-3 |doi-access=free |pmid=25943278 |pmc=4430875 |issn=1471-2458}}</ref> A 2013 study concluded that the tax had no impact on binge drinking of the drinks by teenagers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/alcopop-tax-fails-to-deter-teen-binge-drinking-raises-45-billion-in-revenue/story-fneuz92c-1226650824648|title='Alcopop' tax fails to deter teen binge drinking, raises $4.5 billion in revenue|access-date=2015-01-02|archive-date=2014-08-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140829055005/http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/alcopop-tax-fails-to-deter-teen-binge-drinking-raises-45-billion-in-revenue/story-fneuz92c-1226650824648|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Germany ===
On 1 July 2004 the German government increased the tax on mixed drinks based on spirits (e.g. vodka, rum) by roughly one Euro per 275-ml-bottle in order to discourage teenagers drinking excessively, although those drinks were already prohibited for those under the age of 18. This had two implications: The most common alcopops, such as [[Smirnoff Ice]] or [[Bacardi Breezer]], were nearly taken off the market, while other manufacturers changed the recipes of their drinks to replace spirit alcohols with wine or beer, but with the same [[Alcohol by volume|ABV]], enabling these mixed drinks (which are not "alcopops" under German law) to be sold legally to minors 16 and 17 years of age.{{Cn|date=February 2025}}

=== Philippines ===
In 2019, some senators including [[Pia Cayetano]] and former Special Assistant to the President [[Bong Go]] called for pullout of alcopops from the market due to "deceptive packaging that resembles fruit juices usually bought by young consumers". Alcopops also have seven percent alcohol content, which is slightly lower than that of local beer brand [[Red Horse Beer]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/08/22/pull-out-alcopop-drinks-from-grocery-shelves-bong-go-urges|title=Pull out Alcopop drinks from grocery shelves, Bong Go urges|website=Manila Bulletin News|access-date=2019-08-24|archive-date=2019-08-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824220353/https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/08/22/pull-out-alcopop-drinks-from-grocery-shelves-bong-go-urges/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rappler.com/business/238127-senators-take-sip-alcopops-alcohol-tax-hearing|title=LOOK: Senators take a sip of alcopops during alcohol tax hearing|first=Ralf|last=Rivas|website=Rappler|date=20 August 2019}}</ref>

=== Sweden ===
[[Systembolaget]] blocked the sale of alcoholic soft drinks in [[Sweden]] until mid-1996, when Alkoholsortimentsnämnden decided, with reference to [[Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union|Treaty of Rome]] Article 30, that Systembolaget could not refuse to sell certain products. This led to great debate, where the marketing of the alcoholic soft drink was considered to be aimed above all at young people.<ref>{{cite web |title=Alkoläsk åter en populär dryck |url=https://corren.se/nyheter/ostergotland/artikel/alkolask-ater-en-popular-dryck/lyomx7zr |website=corren.se |language=sv |date=27 March 2003}}</ref> After initially great sales successes, the popularity has now declined, and many of the alcoholic drinks' [[market share]]s have been taken over by sweeter varieties of [[cider]] that share many characteristics with the soft drink but have been fermented to their alcoholic strength.{{cn|date=March 2024}}

=== United Kingdom ===
In June 1997, [[Co-op Food]] became the first major retailer to place an outright ban on the sale of alcopops in its shops.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/co-op-places-ban-on-alcopops-1255741.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024090934/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/co-op-places-ban-on-alcopops-1255741.html |archive-date=2016-10-24 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Co-op places ban on alcopops|website=[[The Independent]]|last=Cope|first=Nigel|date=13 June 1997|access-date=27 November 2017}}</ref> This has since been revoked.{{Cn|date=February 2025}}