Calls to ban UK alcohol advertising

Public health experts have called for a ban on alcohol advertising in the UK due to the industry’s marketing practices encouraging young people to drink.

New research, published in the journal Addiction, has investigated the techniques of alcohol marketing and their effects on young people and has subsequently called on governments around the world to renew their efforts to address the problem by strengthening the rules governing alcohol marketing with more effective independent statutory regulations.

Alcohol is the leading cause of death and disability for young males aged 15-24 in nearly every region of the world, and the leading cause in young females within the same age bracket in the wealthy countries and the Americas.

According to Addiction, alcohol industry self-regulatory codes do not sufficiently protect children and adolescents from exposure to alcohol promotions, especially through social media.

The journal’s papers argue that future regulations should be independent of the alcohol industry and should instead be enforced by an appropriate public health agency of the local or national government.

Advertising for alcoholic drinks in the UK follows a code enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority, but packaging and branding of the products remains subject to self-regulation.

While a comprehensive ban, like that in place in Norway, is unlikely in the near future, campaign groups like the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA), are calling for a series of interim solutions, including the stopping of sports sponsorship, introducing a watershed for alcohol adverts on television, and restricting cinema adverts so that they could be shown only before 18 certificate films.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the AHA, said: “It is clear that self-regulation is not working and we welcome calls for greater action from governments to protect children from exposure to alcohol marketing.

“We know that alcohol marketing contains content and messages that appeal to children, and that due to exposure to this advertising, children drink more, and start drinking at an earlier age.”