The not-for-profit international gin industry body has issued a pre legal action notice to the Pentone-family produced Red Storm and Ocean Storm products, both of which are branded as gin despite being only 29% ABV.

Nicholas Cook, director general of The Gin Guild, said: “The producers of these products, fraudulently described as ‘gin’, have attempted a blatant, cynical and foolhardy attempt to market a product by linking to the reputation of the gin category, despite clearly being non-compliant products.” 

The Gin Guild, which represents the distilled gin industry has, due to the number of brands selling non-compliant products, held discussions with the Office for Product Safety and Standards and extended its role.

It now intends to secure enforcement against those seeking to abuse the name and standing of the gin category, and to ensure further provision of consumer advice and protection.

Cook added: “These Ocean products are, regrettably, yet another example of products that are not gin, which are not category compliant and which are being mis-marketed and sold to unsuspecting consumers. 

“Our aim is to stop this form of abuse, which of late, due to the success and interest in the gin category, is growing. This is a matter of consumer as well as industry protection.”