Call for tougher rules on alcohol marketing in Africa

A new report; “Monitoring Alcohol Marketing in Africa”, released by the Africa Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO), has called for more effective controls on alcohol marketing to protect young people and to prevent alcohol beverage companies from using marketing techniques in Africa that are regarded as unacceptable in Europe.

The study, which was commissioned by WHO Afro in 2010, is the first product of cooperation between, EUCAM the European Centre for Monitoring Alcohol Marketing, STAP the Dutch Institute for Alcohol Policy and the WHO. It investigated alcohol advertising and promotion in Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and Gambia. An important aim of the project was to develop a method to monitor alcohol marketing in low-income countries. Findings of this preliminary monitoring exercise have resulted in some early recommendations to protect young people from the harmful effects of exposure to alcohol advertising.

A main finding of the investigation was that marketing practices that are seen as unacceptable in Europe are used widely in Africa by well-known companies such as Carlsberg, Anheuser-Busch and Heineken.

According to most selfregulatory codes in Europe and most company rules, alcohol advertisements may not be placed within 500 feet of schools (eg Diageo Code of Conduct) or when more than 30 percent of the expected spectators are underaged (eg AB InBev Code and European Self-regulation Code). Nevertheless, the WHO report shows illustrations of alcohol billboards in front of elementary schools, secondary schools and playgrounds.

According to EU law (AVMSD 2007) and most self-regulation codes (eg European selfregulation code art 3.1) alcohol marketing communications should not depict images, impressions, symbols, music, characters (either real or fictitious) that primarily appeal to persons below 18 years-old.

Nevertheless, global alcohol companies use cartoons to market their product on African television.

Connections between alcohol and wealth are used commonly in alcohol advertisements, e.g. Nigeria’s Star Big Life campaign markets the message that drinking Star beer is the beginning of the ‘big life’. The latter is especially disturbing when realizing that drinking alcohol is one of the indicators that predict poverty.

The voluntary rule of Diageo restricts alcohol advertisements on Nigerian television before 9 pm. However, the report shows that the company does not adhere to its own rules.

Legislation is an important tool to limit unethical alcohol advertising. EUCAM, the author of the report, state that the investigation revealed:

1. Ghana and Uganda rely fully on self-regulation. Their alcohol marketing is solely by the alcohol companies themselves. The aggressive alcohol marketing practices described in the report show a need for additional legislation that restricts the large volumes of alcohol marketing and the attractive content of the ads to young people.

2. Nigeria has a watershed of 8 pm on alcohol marketing on television and radio. The limited hours of television monitored in this pilot study already showed no adherence to the extended watershed of 9 pm by the Nigerian Guinness’ self regulatory code. Although the watershed is a good start, young people are still exposed to much alcohol marketing on television and radio after 8 pm. Moreover, alcohol marketing is highly prevalent in Nigeria in nonbroadcast media and not regulated by law. A more comprehensive alcohol marketing regulation is required.

3. Alcohol marketing is strictly regulated in the Gambia. The preliminary monitoring of alcohol marketing in the Gambia shows that an effective alcohol marketing policy in the African continent seems feasible. Besides national characteristics of the country that support a strict alcohol marketing policy, the case of the Gambia shows that a clear alcohol marketing regulation limits the prevalence of alcohol marketing in society.

The full report can be found online at the website of WHO African Region. More information is available from Avalon de Bruijn (adebruijn@eucam.info) or the website www.eucam.info.