Victorian consumers will soon be unable to purchase large bottles of alcohol-based food essences, as excessive consumption of the product has officially been linked to a teenager’s death in August 1999.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Fifteen-year-old Leigh Douglas Clark collapsed at a party two years ago after drinking a large quantity of Hoyts Imitation Vodka Essence.


Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs, Marsha Thomson, explained that the sale of the essences would now be banned in accordance with the coroner’s findings.


The ban, which will be implemented before Christmas, will prevent the sale for domestic use of bottles of vanilla essence over 100ml and other flavored essences larger than 50ml.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact