“Millions of children exposed to alcohol
marketing during World Cup”

Millions of children as young as four were subjected to alcohol marketing during televised England games at the world cup this summer, according to Alcohol Concern.

In a report released during October’s Alcohol Awareness Week, new figures show over a million children between four and fifteen years old were exposed to alcohol adverts from brands such as Stella Artois, Magners, Fosters, Carling and WKD during live England games shown on ITV. Alcohol Concern says the total number of children exposed to alcohol adverts during the world cup could be as high as five million when taking all the live games shown into account. 1.6 million children viewed three alcohol adverts during England’s game against Algeria and 1.4m saw four alcohol adverts during the game against USA. Even non-England games such as Uruguay vs Netherlands had 800,000 children viewing three alcohol adverts shown during commercial breaks.

The alcohol adverts were all shown between 8 and 10 pm and were deemed within advertising regulations, even though millions of children were exposed to them. The Advertising Standards Authority claim that the regulations protect children from alcohol advertising; however, Alcohol Concern dispute this and are calling for a 9 pm watershed ban for alcohol adverts and a ban on advertising alcohol on the internet. Recent research, cited by Alcohol Concern, shows that the more children are exposed to alcohol marketing the greater likelihood is that they will drink more and at an earlier age.

In a separate study of eighty 11 to 18 year olds in the East Midlands, London and the North West, carried out this summer, Alcohol Concern found that, on average, children were exposed to the equivalent of 4 alcohol adverts in the course of one day or the equivalent of 1,600 per year. In some cases, as many as 11 alcohol adverts in a 24-hour period were being seen by children as young as 11 and 12. TV was by far the most frequently cited medium of exposure, followed by adverts within shops or supermarkets and on billboards. Girls reported more exposure to spirit and wine marketing than boys, while boys reported more exposure to cider and alcopops.

Alcohol Concern Chief Executive, Don Shenker said:

“It is simply unacceptable that vast numbers of children are so frequently exposed to alcohol advertising, leading to higher levels of drinking among young people and increasingly higher levels of harm. Alcohol producers and advertising regulators are clearly not taking their responsibilities seriously enough and only a watershed ban on TV and an internet ban will prevent the vast majority of children from being exposed to alcohol marketing.”

Over the last 7 years in England on average 36 children a day were admitted to hospital due to alcohol. Alcohol Concern is calling for a number of restrictions on alcohol marketing, including a ban on showing alcohol advertisements in cinemas other than with 18-rated fi lms and a ban on alcohol sponsorship of sports and music events.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore of the Royal College of Physicians said:

“The evidence is clear - children are affected by alcohol marketing. It influences the age at which they start drinking and how much they then drink. Alcohol is a drug of potential addiction and if drinks producers and retailers won’t stop pushing it at our children then urgent and tough legislation is needed to protect them.”

• Alcohol Concern calls for the following recommendations to protect children from alcohol marketing:

• A 9 pm watershed ban on alcohol marketing on TV and radio and for subsequent advertisements only to be broadcast if the proportion of under-18s viewing is less than 10%

• A total ban on alcohol marketing or sponsorship on the internet, on billboards and at sports or music events

• A restriction to advertise alcohol only in cinemas showing films with 18 certificates

• Messages and images should refer only to the qualities of the products such as ABV, origin, composition, means of production, patterns of consumption

• A government health message must be included on each alcohol advertisement comprising a sixth of the advert

The report, Overexposed, can be downloaded from the publications section of the Alcohol Concern website