The end of the drink FCKD UP

File Photo, Matthew Charest

QMI agency

Sunday, march 4, 2018 22:02

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Sunday, march 4, 2018 22:02

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Groupe Geloso in Laval announced, Sunday, the final cessation of the production of the beverage FCKD UP, in the wake of the death of a teenager Wednesday after they have been drinking.

The end of this drink is “the right thing to do”, according to a statement released Sunday by the co-chair of the group Geloso, Aldo Geloso.

“The group Geloso, will undertake the necessary steps with its internal teams, retailers and any industry for us to completely remove it from this category as quickly as possible and I have directed my employees in the immediate cessation of the production of the beverage FCKD UP. Last Friday, I also ordered the withdrawal of all advertisements that relate to it”,-he said.

The product containing 11.9% of alcohol by volume, equivalent to four glasses of alcohol per can of 568 ml, in addition to a significant amount of sugar and stimulants, including guarana, banned in the United States, had been consumed by the young Athena Gervais, before she was found dead in Laval. Intoxicated, she would have slipped into a creek where she was killed.

Aldo Geloso has justified the existence of this product for the success in Quebec with a drink rival, Four Loko, “which has forced our company to consider the implications that this success has on our company, its jobs and the significant investment that we are currently in our facilities in Laval”.

“Despite our initial reluctance, we had decided to go ahead with the introduction of our own brand (FCKD UP) to compete with this american company which was to install on our territory,” added Aldo Geloso. That said, with the benefit of hindsight, I think it was a mistake to enter in this category to compete with Four Loko. In fact, the category Four Loko should not even exist.”

These very sweet drinks that mask the taste of alcohol and that contain stimulants, designed specifically for youth and are highly valued by the minors, who cannot lawfully drink. Following the death of Athena Gervais, Couche-Tard announced on Friday its decision to withdraw the drink FCKD UP its tablets.

Aldo Geloso now called its competitor to follow his gesture, so as not to market Four Loko.

“Retailers should also send a clear signal to Four Loko and its local manufacturer that their product is not welcome. Let’s be consistent,” he said.

He also called for the creation of a coordination table bringing together all the actors of the industry in order to prevent illegal consumption by minors.

The organization éduc’alcool has already denounced the sale of energy drinks with high alcohol content.