KUALA LUMPUR: Parents should take a second look at the artfully designed bottles of colourful fruit juice that appear to be a favourite among children.
They will be shocked to read the small print on the bottle labels. For these "soft drinks" contain more alcohol than does a can of beer.
The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) said yesterday the drinks were popular at parties attended by students.
CAP education officer N.V. Subbarow said yesterday that there were about 25 brands of "soft drinks" containing alcohol being sold in supermarkets and 24-hour convenience shops.
He said CAP's survey showed that these imported drinks were a current favourite with more than 50 per cent of schoolchildren.
"What's worrying is, these beverages can be found in the soft drinks section of stores even though the alcohol content in them is around 5.5 per cent, 0.5 per cent more than in canned beer.
"Checks showed that these drinks, sold for between RM5 and RM12, are popular items at students' birthday parties."
Subbarrow said CAP had received many complaints from parents about the easy availability of these drinks.
He said school authorities had also complained of students bringing these deceptive looking bottles of alcoholic drinks to school.
Subbarow said because of the fancy soft drink-type bottles, it was difficult for parents and the school authorities to stop their circulation.
"According to the law, those below 18 cannot purchase alcohol, but these particular drinks are now easily available to them.
"Innocent children could be duped by friends into taking these drinks and end up becoming addicted to them."
Subbarow said local soft drink producers appeared to be inadvertently targeting soft liquor, such as shandy, at teenagers and children by selling them in containers resembling popular soft drinks.
He called on the Health Ministry and other authorities to clamp down on the production, distribution and marketing of such beverages.