Alcoholic beverage in juice section of grocery, convenience stores alarm Pia Cayetano

Senator Pia Cayetano expressed alarm Thursday on the presence of "alcopop," a ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage, beside the juice section of convenience stores and groceries.

During the hearing of the ways and means committee which she chairs, Cayetano called the attention of the Department of Health and Food and Drug Administration on the beverage which comes in doy pack and looks like an ordinary juice.

“Honestly, who will be attracted to this packaging, a senior citizen who can do whatever he wants in his life or a child? May straw pa (na kasama). Do you know that this is distributed in grocery stores,” she said.

“Some of the supermarkets I’ve been to have a section for alcohol beverages. This one is (placed) beside the juice for kids. For some nasa alcohol section, sa iba sa juice (section) and it is easily available in convenience stores, in groceries,” she added.

She said the cashier also did not ask for an identification card when the alcopop was purchased.

The senator said minors could easily access the alcoholic beverage without their parents knowing it. She said the alcopop can also be purchased online.

“Nakalagay sa kanya 18+ for adults only pero andun siya sa part na natutupi, it’s a matter of accessibility. Buti kung 18 years old ang magkakainterest dito. What if a parent doesn’t know, it is very bothersome,” she said.

Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said he asked the FDA about it and found out that these are registered products and they had no regulation on labeling.

“The only thing they are required to put is not for sale for minors,” he said.

The Health official shared the sentiment of Cayetano as he vowed to look into the matter

“These are actually registered products and it is very bothersome that products have evolved  but the regulation hasn’t evolved. It’s time really for us to look into this,” he said.

Cayetano called on the grocery and store owners to be responsible and not to sell alcopop to minors.

“Mananawagan ako sa matitino at maayos na businessmen na siguro naman sarili n’yong anak hindi nyo paiinumin niyan, whether sari sari store, grocery store. Hindi kailangang antayin na may ilabas na regulations ang DOH at FDA for us to know that children should not be drinking products that are supposed to be sold to adults,” she said. — MDM, GMA News