Carling to remove logo from Old Firm kids’ shirts

Coors%20logoCoors Brewers has opted to move the Carling logo from Rangers and Celtic children’s replica kits two years ahead of a self-imposed drinks industry ban on branding child-size replica football shirts.

The lager brand, which has sponsored the Old Firm clubs since 2003, says that the beer logo will not appear on the new children’s kit from the start of next season in August when the strips change. However, they will continue to appear on adult-size clothing.

Coors chief executive Mark Hunter says the brewery and clubs have a “long track record” in working to champion responsible drinking: “This means ensuring that sponsorship is not improperly targeted at people under legal drinking age – this initiative underlines that aim – and using the combination of one of the UK’s leading brands and football to promote responsible consumption by adults.”

Coors has been working as part of the Scottish Government & Alcohol Industry Partnership. Last year the drinks industry trade body Portman Group agreed on new rules banning the use of alcohol branding on children’s replica sports shirts. The rule will apply to all sponsorship contracts signed after January 1, 2009.