Australia: Alcohol industry places its own restrictions on its advertising
February 5, 2020
The alcohol industry in SA, made up of numerous alcohol beverage companies like Diageo, SAB etc., has put together a marketing code which voluntarily restricts the way they advertise their products to the public.
In an effort to limit exposure to children and promote responsible alcohol advertising, the alcohol industry in South Africa has committed to restricting its advertising times on TV and radio as well as to not place billboard advertising within immediate proximity of schools.
The commitment, binding on all alcohol manufacturers, suppliers and retailers, is contained in the Marketing Code, launched by the industry in Johannesburg last week and will be enforced by the Advertising Regulatory Board.
Limiting placement
“Alcohol advertising on radio and TV is limited to between 7pm to 6am during weekdays. On Saturdays and Sundays, alcohol adverts can only be broadcast between 12h00 and 06h00,” said Sibani Mngadi, corporate affairs director at Diageo South Africa. Diageo is a leading spirits company owning world-renowned brands like Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff and Tanqueray.
To limit exposure to children, advertising will only be placed on media channels and programmes where at least 70% of the audience is reasonably expected to be of legal drinking age; 18 years and above.
“For billboards, in particular, we have decided that these should not be within a 500m radius of a school. Digital platforms containing alcohol advertising should also have age verification mechanisms,” explained Mngadi.
In addition to limiting placement, the Code also seeks to regulate the content to make sure that advertisements do not appeal to the underage population, nor misleading to the general audience.
Must not be misleading
“Actors in our adverts must not appear to be younger than 25 years of age. The content of the advertisement may not imply that the consumption of alcoholic beverages is essential to economic/social success or acceptance, nor should it portray negatively on the refusal to consume an alcoholic beverage,” said Mngadi.
General sports sponsorships by alcohol brands are acceptable so long as there is no suggestion that alcohol consumption contributes to athletic success. “While the use of sports people or celebrities in adverts is allowed, those prominent people may not be portrayed consuming alcohol in the advert itself,” Mngadi explained.
The industry marketing codes are equally applicable to zero or zero alcohol products. “Alcohol-free products are an offering to promote responsible consumption for adults who may not want to take alcohol for various reasons including designated drivers. Such products cannot be promoted amongst people below the legal drinking age of 18 years,” said Mngadi.
United Kingdom: Alcohol is behind hundreds of thousands of hospital admissions in England every year
By Alexandra Thompson
February 4, 2020
Alcohol is behind hundreds of thousands of hospital admissions in England every year, research suggests.
NHS Digital data shows drinking excessively was the “main reason” for 380,000 hospitalisations in 2018/19.
This is 6% higher than 2017/18 and a 19% increase on a decade ago, statistics show.
Alcohol affects “almost every part of your body”, according to the NHS.
One heavy night puts a drinker at risk of accidents, unsafe sex and a nasty hangover the next day.
Overtime, excessive alcohol consumption can damage organs and weaken the immune system.
It has also been linked to a range of conditions, including liver disease, high blood pressure, breast cancer and infertility to name a few.
Men and women are both advised to have no more than 14 units of alcohol a week.
While it comes down to the size of the glass and strength of the tipple, this equates to around six glasses of wine, six pints of beer and 14 glasses of spirits.
Overall, the NHS data shows alcohol-related admissions made up 2% of hospitalisations in 2018/19, the same as the year before.
Men comprised nearly two-thirds (62%) of cases, while 40% were aged between 45 and 64.
These figures are based on incidences where an “alcohol-related disease, injury or condition was the primary reason for a hospital admission or there was an alcohol-related external cause”.
When looking more broadly at other conditions indirectly caused by alcohol, excessive drinking made up 1.3 million admissions in 2018/19 – 7% of all hospitalisations.
This is an 8% increase on 2017/18.
In better news, alcohol-related deaths declined by 2%.
In those that did occur, more than three quarters (77%) of the deceased were aged 40-to-69.
The middle-aged were found to be the most likely to drink too much, with 38% of men and 19% of women aged 55-to-64 “usually” consuming more than 14 units a week.
“Historically one of the biggest barriers to comprehensive alcohol strategies has been a reluctance to put people above profits,” Laura Bunt, acting CEO of the UK charity Addaction, said.
“While there needs to be a national strategy, we can see from these statistics the group most at risk are older adults.
“We’ve learnt from our services that as people age, big life events such as divorce, bereavement, financial issues or even retirement can leave people feeling isolated and unable to cope.
“What’s more, harmful alcohol use among older adults is often a hidden problem, with many drinking at home alone instead of out and socialising.
“Any alcohol strategy needs to recognise the specific needs of this group and tackle the reasons why someone might be drinking more instead of just the drinking itself.”