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Young people want more protection from alcohol advertising, survey says
Alcohol Concern’s survey of 2,300 young adults finds many urging more regulation to protect those under drinking age
Most young people would like more protection from alcohol advertising, but under-18s do not recognise that drink logos on football shirts are a form of marketing, according to a survey.
Alcohol Concern, which surveyed 2,300 children and young adults, says it sought their views because they are usually excluded from the discussion.
The survey found that most wanted more regulation than at present to safeguard those who are under the drinking age from alcohol marketing. Most – 60% – wanted alcohol adverts in the cinema restricted to 18-certificate films while 58% said alcohol adverts should only be allowed on television after the 9pm watershed. Alcohol promotion, said 59%, should be limited only to the areas of supermarkets and off-licences selling alcohol.
About half did not recognise “below the line” marketing strategies, such as sponsorship of football shirts, festivals and branded pages on social networking sites.
Many thought the present internet safeguards on under-18s accessing alcohol-brand websites were inadequate, however – on social media sites, those who are under-18 and have given details of their age or date of birth are blocked.
Most young women – 70% – said they wanted clear labels with information about health risks on all alcoholic drink bottles and cans.
Alcohol Concern says that the government needs to reduce the “cumulative exposure” of young people to “positive drinking messages”.
“If one of the aims of alcohol marketing regulations is to protect children and young people from exposure to advertising then government needs to ask itself whether the current framework is fit for purpose,” said Don Shenker, chief executive of Alcohol Concern.
“Clearly young people don’t believe it is, and their preference for stronger protection deserves to be heard. There are simple changes the government could make to better protect children. Hopefully they will listen to their views.”
He was supported by the Conservative MP Dr Sarah Wollaston, who said: “The most compelling quote in this hard-hitting report comes from one 15-year-old: ‘Both my parents are alcoholics, you should put them in an ad so no one would drink.’
“Instead of this, however, young people are bombarded with positive images of alcohol which encourages them to start drinking earlier and to drink more when they do. It is time to protect children from this, and to take action against the growing influence of ‘below the line’ marketing through social media, brand merchandising and sponsorship.”
