WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Super-sized Four Loko drinks, beloved by college students as a "blackout in a can", have the same amount of alcohol as four to five beers, and packaging that compares them to one or two beers will be changed under a settlement with regulators, the Federal Trade Commission said.
The FTC, which investigates complaints about deceptive advertising, said in a statement on Monday that Four Loko drinks, made by privately held Phusion Projects LLC, were highly alcoholic but not resealable.
Advertisements showed people drinking directly from a can, as someone would drink from a single can of beer, the FTC said.
"Deception about alcohol content is dangerous to consumers, and it's a serious concern for the FTC," said David Vladeck, director of the agency's Bureau of Consumer Protection.
As part of the agreement, Phusion Projects agreed to begin selling Four Loko drinks in resealable containers and to refrain from showing people drinking straight from a Four Loko can or bottle in its advertising.
The drinks had previously contained caffeine as well, but the FTC and the Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to Phusion Projects and four other companies last November warning that the combination of alcohol and caffeine was not safe. The caffeine was taken out of the drinks. (Reporting by Diane Bartz; editing by Dale Hudson)
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