The company argued that the product was sold as a non-alcoholic alternative to wine.
It added that the “non-alcoholic wine” was produced in exactly the same way as cultivar wines‚ except that the fermentation part of the process is skipped.
The ASA sought the advice of the South African Liquor Brand Owners Association (SALBA) which said wine should comply with the definition in the Liquor Products Act of 1989‚ which prescribes that wine should be made by alcoholic fermentation.
The ASA found that the company’s products were not wines but grape juices.
“This suggests that the Respondent’s references to selling ALCOHOL FREE WINE are misleading‚” the body found.
Alcohol Free Wine (Pty) Ltd was ordered to remove any advertising that suggests that it sells wine.