A complaint against Twickenham Brewery’s ‘Naked Ladies’ pump clip has not been upheld by the alcohol industry’s Independent Complaint Panel (ICP), following a complaint from a member of the public.
The complaint raised concerns that the name, branding and design of the pump clip were inappropriately sexualised and could cause offence and embarrassment for customers and staff when ordering the product in a pub or bar, under Code rule 3.3 – causing serious or widespread offence. The Panel did not uphold the complaint.
The Panel discussed the product name ‘Naked Ladies’ and noted the company’s submission that the beer was one of several which it named after local landmarks, in this case a well known and colloquial term used to describe a group of statues in Twickenham. The Panel noted the packaging and company website incorporated descriptive language designed to explain the historical context of the statue, and while limited space on the pump clip didn’t include this – the reference of Twickenham in the company’s name did provide some context.
The Panel considered that the design was artistically stylised and akin to art deco, with no identifying detail added to any of the statue’s features or undue focus on its pelvic or breast area.
As such the Panel considered that the depiction of the statue and the name ‘Naked Ladies’ did not cause serious or widespread offence. Accordingly, the complaint was not upheld under Code rule 3.3.
Chair of the Independent Complaints Panel, Rachel Childs said:
“It’s vitally important under the Code that producers ensure their products do not cause serious or widespread offence and in relation to sexual objectification, that they don’t incorporate elements which are demeaning, derogatory, gratuitous or overly sexualised. In this case, the Panel concluded that the overall impression of the Naked Ladies pump clip did not fall foul of the Code and did not uphold the complaint.”
CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona said:
“We are disappointed that the Independent Complaints Panel did not uphold the complaint from a member of the public.
“The beer in question was removed from eligibility for inclusion in our Champion Beer of Britain Competition in 2022, following complaints from members of the public. Our volunteer committees have upheld that decision, and we are proud to have robust policies and practical guidance for our volunteers on the naming and marketing of beers and ciders, and whether products should be eligible for our highest accolades or on sale at our festivals.
“Our policies are unashamedly consumer focused and include the environment that product names and marketing – including pump clips – can create for bar staff, volunteers at our festivals, and members of the public enjoying the licensed trade. We also require brewers, cider makers and other vendors at our festivals to refrain from using discriminatory marketing at CAMRA events, as covered in our Festival Code of Conduct.
“Beer and cider are for everyone, and we want everyone to feel welcome at CAMRA festivals and in their locals. For CAMRA, that means making sure that products on sale do not invite inappropriate or exclusionary behaviour or comments.
“We are looking forward to working with the Portman Group when they next review their Code of Practice, and we will be making detailed representations on behalf of consumers and in line with our own policies on naming and marketing of beer and cider.”
