Committee Report Hits Alcohol Brands

A report on alcohol abuse by the government’s health select committee has called for tighter restrictions for drinks marketing, including the introduction of a 9pm watershed for TV advertising – a move that could have a substantial effect on such marketing activity during sport matches.

With alcohol brands heavily active in sport sponsorship, in particular football, the move would effectively outline any advertising running during the latter part of evening matches.

The wide-ranging report devotes a chapter to ‘Marketing and the drinks industry’ and raises concerns that alcohol marketing vastly outspends government alcohol awareness campaigns.

According to the report, drinks brands spend up to £800m a year on advertising and sponsorship, dwarfing the COI spend of £17.6m.

As a result of this disparity, the report suggest that for every five alcohol ads an advertiser should be required to fund one public health ad.

Digital marketing and sponsorship were highlighted as particular areas of concern.

The report also stated that drinks brands should not be permitted to run activity on social networking sites and says tougher rules should govern sponsorship.

A spokesperson for the Advertising Standards Authority said it was ‘difficult to see what the benefits of a fragmented regulatory system might be’, a view which was echoed by advertising representative body ISBA.