Margot Robbie’s boutique gin brand is being rejected by top London bars and restaurants due to allergen concerns.
The Wuthering Heights actress, 35, launched Papa Salt Coastal Gin with her husband Tom Ackerley and their friends in 2023.
It is filtered through oyster shells to evoke the beaches of Australia where she grew up - however this means the drink must come with a “warning: contains molluscs” label.
People with a shellfish allergy are advised not to drink it, as while the distilling process of gin removes most shellfish proteins, some can still remain when it is made with oysters.
This could be a major concern for anyone with severe allergies. Reactions to shellfish include anaphylaxis, which can prove fatal if not treated quickly.
Several London venues told the Guardian they do not have the resources to train staff to ask guests if they have a shellfish allergy when they order a gin drink.
They also claimed Robbie and husband Ackerley, 35, had been rebuffed when they were personally visited by the couple in the hopes of securing a business deal with the gin.
“In order to stock her gin, we would have to train all our staff to ask guests if they have a shellfish allergy when they ordered a G&T,” one bar owner who was approached by Robbie said.
“It is simply not worth the time or the risk.”
A restaurant manager added: “We are dealing with enough at the moment, it is a tough time for restaurants, we don’t want to have to ask people if they are allergic to molluscs when they order a gin.”
Robbie’s spokesperson said the gin is being reformulated to be oyster-free, with the new version expected to reach the UK market by the end of the year.
The drink is still being marketed as featuring “Australian botanicals like wattleseed, wax flower, and oyster shell”.
Robbie launched Papa Salt gin in the UK in 2024. It is stocked in luxury retailers like Harvey Nichols and Waitrose, which warn customers of the allergen.
The Barbie star previously lived in Clapham in south London and often shares stories of her time at local haunts like Infernos.
“Our love of gin was born in London’s pubs and bars and we still spend so much time in London,” she told Luxury London last year.
“We can’t wait to see Papa Salt on the back bar at our local.”
A Papa Salt spokesperson said: “A core part of the Papa Salt ethos centres on the founders regularly supporting the hospitality industry in London and around the UK and seeing their gin in the places they love to spend their time. As a result, they have received this feedback directly themselves.
“This kind of feedback is vital to the growth of the brand and that’s why in 2025 Papa Salt made the decision to remove oyster shell from the botanical mix completely, starting first in the Australian market, with that transition due to be complete in the UK before the end of this year.”
