Retailers have been asked by the Portman Group to stop placing orders for Sip N Drip’s Bubble Yum after 14 April 2026. This comes after the Independent Complaints Panel (Panel) found that the product had a particular appeal to under-18s and that the alcoholic nature of the product was not communicated with absolute clarity.
The complaint, made by Zenith Global Commercial Ltd, as part of the Portman Group’s independent proactive audit of the UK market[1], raised concerns under Code Rule 3.2(h), which states that a drink, its packaging and promotional activity should not have a particular appeal to under-18s. During the Panel’s consideration of the case it also raised Code Rule 3.1 which requires the alcoholic nature of a drink to be communicated on its packaging with absolute clarity.
A copy of the full decision is available here.
The Panel considered the imagery on the label, which included the Sip n Drip brand logo which featured brightly coloured lips, a bubble font with drip effect and a thick black outline, all design elements that can be used in marketing to appeal to under-18s as highlighted by research from the children’s marketing agency, Kids Industries[2] . This, alongside the overall impression of the packaging; a bright, colourful background, fruit imagery, fruit language and confectionary flavour, Bubble Yum, led the Panel to conclude that the product was in breach of Code Rule 3.2(h).
When considering Code Rule 3.1, the Panel concluded that the predominant fruit imagery and brightly coloured, high contrast artwork on the packaging detracted from the alcoholic nature of the product, particularly when combined with the packaging style, which was reminiscent of well-known soft drinks. While the Panel noted that there were some positive alcohol cues on the packaging, these were presented in a relatively small font size and not given the prominence required on a product which generally resembled a soft drink. Therefore, the Panel also found the product in breach of Code Rule 3.1.
As the producer, Sip n Drip, did not agree to make the required changes to the product to bring it in line with the Code, a Retailer Alert Bulletin (RAB) has been issued requesting that retailers do not place further orders for stock after 14 April 2026.
Chair of the Independent Complaints Panel, Rachel Childs, said: “This product has real potential to cause confusion as to its alcoholic nature. This, combined with its particular appeal to under-18s means it is essential this product is redesigned. We welcomed the company’s initial commitment to make changes to its product design; however, the Panel can only base its decision on the original packaging, which was very much in breach of the Code of Practice. The subsequent lack of engagement from the producer since is deeply disappointing and inevitably led to a RAB being issued.”
Matt Lambert, Chief Executive of the Portman Group, said: “It is especially disappointing that the producer has failed to reach a satisfactory agreement with us regarding amends to the product after sharing a redesigned label with the Panel. Every company has access to free advice to assist in complying with the Code and in this case the company did not agree to make the required changes to the product, leaving us with no choice but to issue a Retailer Alert Bulletin, only the second one since 2023. We now request that all responsible retailers across the UK stop placing orders for Sip N Drip’s Bubble Yum after 14 April 2026. If any retailer is unsure about the RAB’s application, please contact the Complaints Team for further information.”
A Retailer Alert Bulletin is only issued by the Portman Group following an upheld complaint by the Panel where the producer chooses not to comply with the decision. A RAB requests that retailers cease placing orders for the product three months after the publication date, in this case after the 14 April 2026. For further information please contact complaints@portmangroup.org.uk.
Sip N Drip Retailer Alert Bulletin
[1] Part of the independent proactive audit of the Naming and Packaging of Alcoholic Drinks Code, Sixth Edition Amended
[2] Marketing that appeals to under-18s, Kids Industries, 2023