Concerns ... a new range of bourbon-flavoured potato chips might not contain alcohol, but parents say it creates an attractive, and dangerous, connection to booze for kids.
CHIPS made to taste like Bourbon Whiskey have dismayed experts and parents, who say they send a dangerous message to young consumers.
The new Jim Beam-branded potato chip packets advertise alcohol to anyone who buys them - including children - Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia says.
While the food contains no actual alcohol, DASSA executive director Keith Evans said it was "incredibly disappointing" the product was available in supermarkets. "It`s just a dumb thing to do," he said.
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Parents told The Advertiser yesterday they did not think the chips should be available to children.
Melissa Thompson-Horrocks, 29, of Burnside, said it was "not right" to sell them anywhere but in bottle shops.
"You would think they would have alcohol (ingredients) by looking at them," said the mother of Britney, 8.
"If you were 13 you would probably think it was cool."
Athena Kokkinopolous, 20, and Melissa Manicastri, 19, both of Torrensville, said the branding was a good marketing ploy for over-age buyers.
Ms Kokkinopolous said they should only be available at "pubs, clubs and parties".
"In the end, parents have control of what their young kids eat. There is no alcohol so it`s fine as long as it`s controlled and only sold in the right outlets."
Mr Evans said the branding created a "positive association" between an alcohol brand and a favourite food for youngsters.
"How much does it take for people to recognise that you can`t promote alcohol in this way to young people, and I would see it as an advertisement irrespective of whether it contains alcohol," he said.
"It`s not as if they (Jim Beam) are not aware of the concerns about young people and alcohol."
Mr Evans stopped short of calling for the product to be removed from shelves but said its sale should be more carefully monitored.
Jim Beam spokesman Sean Cook said the chips were targeted at adults and "predominantly" sold in liquor stores.
"We`re trying to keep them within that sort of environment," he said.
A manager at an Adelaide Foodland store that stocks the chips said he was not aware the product was meant for licensed premises.
He said the store had ordered the chips through a local distributor.
Concerns ... a new range of bourbon-flavoured potato chips might not contain alcohol, but parents say it creates an attractive, and dangerous, connection to booze for kids.
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