Tiny Rebel brewery criticised over copycat beer packed like Prime

Tiny Rebel has been criticised for selling drinks that could appeal to under-18s

A brewery has been criticised for selling beer packed to mimic a Prime hydration drink popular with children.

Industry watchdog the Portman Group has upheld complaints against Newport-based Tiny Rebel for its "flagrant" and "socially irresponsible" marketing.

The drinks criticised were Primed Blue Raspberry IPA, Hwyl Peanut Butter Flapjack IPA, Monstar Hawaiian Punch IPA, and TinyFast Milkshake IPA.

Primed's packaging resembled that of Prime blue raspberry hydration drink.

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That is sold by YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul.

They all mimicked popular non-alcoholic drink brands and were sold using the slogan: "Made with love and fun to help chase away the January blues".

The four products have all now been discontinued

The Portman Group upheld complaints against all four products for encouraging irresponsible consumption, and "in varying degrees" suggesting they "had therapeutic qualities, could enhance mental or physical capabilities, and change mood or behaviour".

Complaints were also upheld against three of the products for having particular appeal to under-18s, while TinyFast was rapped for encouraging people to drink rapidly.

All four products have been discontinued.

One of of them was designed to look like a drink sold by YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul

Nicola Williams, who chairs the group's independent complaints panel, said: "It is socially irresponsible for a producer to mimic well-known non-alcoholic drink brands that are marketed on the grounds of weight loss, meal replacement and performance-enhancing properties on alcoholic drinks packaging in such a flagrant manner.

"These cases set new, clear, precedents that all producers should take note of."

Portman Group chief executive Matt Lambert said the cases represented "a continuation of concerning behaviour by Tiny Rebel."

The brewery says it had spent income from the beers on community projects around the UK

"We have had constructive conversations with them and I sincerely hope the producer learns from this and ensures its products are compliant in the future by working with the Portman Group's advisory service".

Tiny Rebel said it took its responsibilities seriously.

A spokesman said: "We are proud to have raised a significant amount of money from the sale of each of these beers which went directly into our Tiny Rebel community fund.

"The money raised has already started to be awarded to community projects around the UK."