A potent Tequila drink sold with jellybeans was removed from Asdas shelves following a complaint by Kingstons consumer watchdog that it encouraged underage drinking.

The supermarket agreed to stop selling the Jellybean Shooter, which was marketed as a gift pack with a shot glass filled with the childrens sweets.

Kingstons trading standards officers made the complaint to the Portman Group, which monitors naming and packaging of alcohol, on the grounds that the presentation of the drink might appeal to under 18s.

As a result, the Jellybean Shooter has been withdrawn from sale and will not be stocked until its packaging complies with the retailers code of practice on alcohol merchandising.

A spokesman for Asda said: The Jellybean Shooter was a product we were running last Christmas but we will not be selling it this year. The idea behind it was that people would be able to make cocktail shooters using the flavoured jellybeans.

Trading standards officers have been placed on high alert in the run up to Christmas to detect any similar products in breach of the code.

Chief trading standards officer Ted Forsyth also urged local retailers not to stock the Jellybean Shooter or any similar products that might not meet the codes requirements.

He said: The council is very aware of local concerns about underage drinking.

In trading standards, protecting children and young people is one of our highest priorities.

Asda has duly removed the Jellybean Shooter drinks from all its stores and will not be using the product as part of its Christmas gift range.

A similar complaint was also made in the summer when two 16-year-olds were admitted to hospital with alcohol poisoning after nearly finishing a bottle of Aftershock, which has a 40 per cent alcohol content.

Despite Kingstons trading standards officers stating that Aftershocks red packaging made it appealing to minors, the complaint was not upheld.

By.Steven Shukor