Four young people from different countries in the WHO European Region discuss their experience with alcohol marketing on their smartphones and computers. They suggest actions that could be taken to protect children and young people from exposure to online alcohol advertising. Exposure to alcohol marketing normalises alcohol consumption and can lead to early alcohol use and high-risk alcohol consumption behaviours, especially among young people.

Space Invaders : Young people’s views about alcohol digital marketing

The WHO European Regional Office is commemorating the Awareness Week on Alcohol-Related Harm, 2021, with a number of events and the release of new products.

The first WHO Europe webinar during #awarh21 describes the developing ecosystem of alcohol marketing, the risks to children and young people and others at risk of substance use disorders and lays out a series of policy options for discussion.

A brand new report about digital alcohol marketing in Europe explores how the alcohol industry uses new technologies, digital tools, and the social media to reach children and youth in their most private spaces. And the report provides evidence for high-impact solutions to better protect minors from the alcohol industry invading their spaces.

Along with the online event and report release, WHO Europe also launched a short video: Young people’s views about alcohol digital marketing.

Two of the young people, all of which are minors, are members of Movendi International. Wilhelm is member of UNF in Sweden. And Imran is a volunteer in CEM in Bosnia.

If you follow the 20 most popular accounts on Instagram and Facebook, you would see 171 images of alcohol in a week,” Wilhelm, Sweden.

Wilhelm, member of UNF, Sweden

UNF has run a campaign, called “Not in my Feed“, to end alcohol advertising in social media in Sweden. UNF criticizes, for instance that youth in Sweden gets exposed to alcohol ads 1120 times per month, through social and traditional media – even though alcohol advertising is banned in Sweden.

But not just in Sweden are people, including minors, not protected from the alcohol industry invading the most private spaces. Current policies across the WHO European Region are insufficient to protect people from new formats of alcohol marketing. For example, age verification schemes, where they exist, are usually inadequate to protect minors from exposure to alcohol marketing, according to the WHO in Europe.

Source Website: WHO Regional Office for Europe - YouTube Channel