Last year, Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) considered new guidelines that would target alcoholic soft drinks, with the Government now confirming it will not proceed with additional regulations.
In May 2024, L&GNSW announced that it “considers alcoholic versions of soft-drinks and liquor products which reference confectionary and dessert products to be a high-risk of being attractive to minors”, proposing that authorities would crack down on ‘sweet’ RTDs.
With Premier Chris Minns stepping in to prevent further regulation of flavoured premixed beverages, the NSW Government has confirmed that it will no longer seek to add additional regulations or guidelines concerning alcoholic versions of soft drinks.
Retail Drinks CEO Michael Waters has welcomed the announcement.
“The NSW Government had been considering additional regulations on these products, despite strong opposition by consumers and industry,” he told National Liquor News.
“We are pleased that common sense has prevailed as the proposals would have stifled industry innovation and at odds with consumer preferences with ambiguous parameters concerning packaging, brand prominence and taste profile.”
Concerned that the proposals would create a regulatory bubble that potentially denies NSW residents access to products available in other states and internationally, Retail Drinks advocated for the industry by meeting with senior representatives of the NSW Government.
“We also responded formally to an options paper and draft guidelines, outlining in detail the reasons for our opposition. This included the effectiveness of the existing industry self-regulatory system, including the Retail Drinks Product Ranging Guidelines and the ABAC scheme, and the NSW Government’s prevailing framework. We also strongly opposed attempts to regulate products based on inherently subjective parameters like taste,” Waters added.
In a statement provided to The Daily Telegraph, a spokesman for Minister David Harris said: “The Minns Labor Government has determined that no further regulation is needed regarding alcoholic versions of soft drinks.
“The government believes the current regulatory environment is appropriate for managing the risks of underage drinking without stopping adults from making their own decisions about what they drink.”