Alcohol advertising under scanner as experts urge government to take action

A cut in alcohol advertising may be on the block as reports on Tuesday (24) stated that health experts are calling on the UK government to take more actions to limit young people’s exposure to alcohol advertising.

The Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA) has urged the UK government to bring in “comprehensive marketing restrictions” to protect children from the “harm” caused by drinks adverts following the result of a poll that suggested more than three-quarters of Britons would support such controls.

Citing the studies’ findings- more young people are exposed to alcohol marketing, the more likely they are to start drinking at an earlier age, AHA UK chief urged the government to include alcohol advertising too in the country’s plans bring in heavier online restrictions and a 9 pm television watershed for junk food ads.

“We are constantly bombarded with alcohol advertising, both online and in the real world – and so are our children. Studies show that the more young people are exposed to alcohol marketing, the more likely they are to start drinking at an earlier age,” Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, said.

“The government has taken a great step forward for public health by stopping junk food advertising online and introducing other limits to its promotion. If alcohol is not included in those plans, we risk alcohol advertising filling the void that is left behind,” he said.

As per a poll conducted earlier this year, about 77 per cent of more than 12,000 people across Britain support controls to limit the exposure of children and young people to alcohol advertising.

Seven in 10 support stopping alcohol adverts from being shown on television before 9 pm, while 72 per cent backed only allowing alcohol advertising in cinemas for films with an 18 certificate, the survey found.

More than half of Britons, 57 per cent of those questioned, said they would support not allowing alcohol advertising in outdoor and public spaces such as streets, parks and public transport.

UK government has acknowledged AHA’s plea as reports cited a spokersperson saying that the Advertising Standards Authority has a duty to take appropriate action “if new evidence emerges that clearly highlights significant problems with alcohol advertising”.