What Are Anti-Spiking Drink Covers, and Why Does Your Business Need Them?
Jessica planned a fun Christmas Eve with her friend over a glass of wine. The only recollection she has of that night after drinking her wine was brief flashes of feeling lost, holding onto a fence, and a strong determination to get home.
She somehow flagged down a car on a remote country road and reached home. What happened next traumatised her for a very long time.
Slowly and steadily, the bruises started to appear, along with scratches and finger marks all over her arms. Jessica and her family pieced together what might have happened the night before and concluded that her drink was spiked.
This is just one story out of the many drink-spiking incidents that have happened in Australia and all over the world. The NSW police stated that they received a record number of drink and food spiking reports in 2023 compared to 2022.
The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) said that between July 2022 and June 2023, they received 220 spiking case reports, which was 20% higher than the preceding years.
What is Drink Spiking And Its Effects?
Drink spiking is adding an amount of alcohol or drugs to someone's drink without their knowledge or consent.
This malicious act can be done with a variety of substances, including more alcohol (to make the drink stronger than expected), prescription drugs like ketamine, recreational drugs, or illegal substances.
"These drugs are colourless and don't have a strong taste or odour, so are easily concealed," said Dr Nicole Lee, a professor at the National Drug Research Insitute to Mamma Mia
The effects of drink spiking vary depending on the substance used but generally aim to impair the victim's judgment and control, making them more vulnerable to theft, sexual assault, or physical harm.
The Australian Institute of Criminology found that 1/3rd of drinking spiking incidents lead to sexual assault.
Common effects of drink spiking include:
- Loss of inhibitions and control
- Reduced mobility and coordination
- Nausea and vomiting
- Confusion and disorientation
- Unconsciousness
- Memory loss or blackouts
Anti-Spike Drink Covers: A Protective Measure To Keep People Safe
Anti-spike drink covers are designed to keep your drink safe from being tampered with, particularly in places like bars, clubs, or parties. These covers serve as a preventive measure against drink spiking.
These covers come in various forms, such as stick-on lids, stretchable silicone lids, or disposable seals.
The primary features and benefits of these anti-spiking devices include:
- Physical barrier: They create a physical shield that makes it difficult for anyone to add unwanted substances to the drink.
- Visual deterrent: Their presence can discourage potential perpetrators from attempting to spike the drink.
Why Do Businesses Need Anti-Spike Drink Covers?
Let’s start with some sobering facts.
According to BOSCAR, 71% of the drink-spiking incidents occurred in a club or a pub. So, if you own any such ventures, it squarely falls on your shoulders to keep your patrons safe from being exploited maliciously.
The easiest and most effective way to prevent drink spiking is to use anti-spike drink covers when offering beverages to your clientele. With custom label printing, you can get your brand name on the covers for effective marketing.
Using anti-spike drink covers will positively impact your customers and the brand image. Let’s see how:
- Keep Your Clients Safe: The primary purpose of anti-spiking drink covers is to protect customers from drink spiking. By providing these covers, you can significantly reduce the risk of such incidents occurring on their premises.
- Build Trust and Reputation: If you take proactive steps like using anti-spike drink covers to ensure your patrons' safety, customers will likely view you more favourably. This can improve reputation, making your club or pub a preferred choice for individuals who value security and well-being.
- Standing Out From The Crowd: Offering anti-spiking drink covers will set you apart from competitors by highlighting your commitment to client safety. This could be a USP to attract customers concerned about the risks of drink spiking.
- Supporting Event Success: For event organisers, the safety of attendees is paramount to the event's success. Implementing safety measures like drink covers can ensure a positive experience for attendees, reducing the risk of negative incidents that could mar the event's reputation.
How To Use Anti-Spike Drink Covers?
As stated earlier, anti-spike drink covers come in various forms. Let’s see how to apply those to keep your client’s drinks safe from being tampered with.
Disposable Recyclable Seals:
These are made with synthetic, food-grade silver materials and have adhesive on the back. You can use custom label printers to print your brand colours and logo for easy brand recognition and promotion.
Your customers must peel off the stickers and apply them over their glasses or cups. These seals come with designated holes for straw insertion. Once used, the bar staff can easily remove and dispose it.
Stretchable, Silicone Lids:
These seals are available in various sizes and shapes to fit snugly around the rim of the glass. You can print these with your club name and logo and hand them to customers for use. They can carry it home and use it whenever necessary, mostly at your business.
Lid-Like Covers:
These fit snugly over the top of glasses or cups, often equipped with a straw hole to allow drinking without removing the protection.
Final Words
Drinking spiking is a traumatising incident that can happen to anyone. Often, it leads to fear of socialising and thus can affect your business significantly. Hence, using these anti-spike drink covers will not only save your customers but will give them the confidence to venture out and socialise with people without having to worry about robbery and sexual assaults.
Business ventures that have adopted this practice are often trusted by their patrons and can lead to word-of-mouth advertising as a safe place to have fun. Contact a custom label printing service today for anti-spike drink covers.