This photo provided by GS Retail Co. shows Beurre Biere products.
SEOUL, March 10 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s drug safety ministry said Thursday it has brought charges against a butterbeer maker and sellers, claiming that the beer does not contain any butter.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety issued an advance notice to Brewguru, the maker of the butterbeer Beurre Biere, saying that the production of the beer would be suspended for one month.
It also filed criminal charges against the maker and its sellers Virtual Company and GS Retail Co.
The ministry stressed that Brewguru had violated the Food Labeling and Advertising Act by using the French word “beurre” in the product name despite the fact that the beer does not contain any butter.
Since its launch in April last year, Beurre Biere has been a popular purchase at major department stores’ popup stores and alcohol specialty shops.
The maker, however, insisted that the word “beurre” was used simply as a product name without being included in the list of ingredients and it did not advertise it as containing butter.
“We will strive hard to vindicate our position even if the measures taken by the authorities are enforced,” an official at Brewguru said.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
