UK: Parents Want Alcohol Ads Restrictions
The majority of parents want alcohol advertising restrictions, according to a new survey in the UK.
- Some 71% of parents want alcohol ads restricted on television.
- And 71% also want restrictions of alcohol ads on social media and the internet, the YouGov poll for the Alcohol and Families Alliance (AFA) shows.
- More than half of parents (52%) think alcohol ads should not be seen by children under 18 at all.
- 67% of parents think alcohol advertising ‘normalises’ alcohol consumption for most people.
YouGov surveyed 1,179 parents with children aged 18 or under between May 31 and June 5, 2019.
Independent research has previously found that 10 to 15-year-olds were 11% more likely to see alcohol adverts on television than adults. This exposure increased to 51% for alcopops ads. Furthermore, more than half (56%) of ads seen by children aged four to 15 years aired before 9pm. Current restrictions apply to programmes, films or websites which are considered to be ‘of particular appeal to children’. It does not cover content regularly watched by children but not targeted at them.
Vivienne Evans, from the Alcohol and Families Alliance, said:
We know from research that exposure to alcohol advertising makes children more likely to [use alcohol] at an earlier age and to [consume] more when they do.
Children and young people deserve protection from harmful products. We’re urging the Government to include advertising in the restrictions it is considering for junk food.
The current ‘self-policing’ regulatory framework for alcohol marketing is ineffective. It’s vital that tighter regulations are introduced for TV, radio, online, social media and apps advertising – including a watershed to protect young people.”