Tv and cinema advertising regulations fail to protect young people.
The leading national agency on alcohol misuse, Alcohol Concern, today reveals data that shows millions of children are being exposed to alcohol advertising. As part of its response to the review of the Codes of the Committee of Advertising Practice and Committee of Broadcast Advertising Practice, Alcohol Concern investigated alcohol advertising and audience profiles for the 12A rated Batman film, Dark Knight, released in 2008. It found:
• Broken rules on the amount of alcohol advertising shown before the film, with almost half of the total advertising loop made up of alcohol advertisements during showings by Carlton Screen Advertising, which covers 65% of UK screenings. During showings, nine of the nineteen adverts were for alcohol.[1]
• 810,000 7-14 year olds were exposed to nine alcohol adverts prior to watching the Batman film, with up to a further 590,000 likely to have been exposed.
In 2007, the charity conducted research into alcohol advertising on television over a two week period.[2] It found several instances of alcohol adverts shown during programmes which appeal to children, such as Home & Away and X Factor. It also found an instance of wine advertised by a supermarket during Coronation Street, which was watched by over a million children.
Alcohol Concern Chief Executive Don Shenker said:
“Current restrictions on alcohol advertising fail to protect children from alcohol promotion – they are bombarded with adverts for a harmful product they can’t legally buy.
“Children are not being protected from alcohol advertising, despite evidence which shows it increases their drinking. In addition, alcohol advertising rules are being breached.
“It would be unacceptable to allow smoking to be promoted to children, yet alcohol – which adversely affects thousands of children every year– is advertised to millions of youngsters as a matter of course.
Alcohol Concern