Marketing - Written by Elizabeth Smythe on Thursday, March 17, 2011 10:31 - 0 Comments
No alcohol advertisements within 100m of schools
The alcohol industry is pledging to revise its advertising and promotional code of practice, in an attempt to reduce alcohol abuse, Marketing Week has reported.
According to latest marketing news, an announcement will be made comprising several pledges by industry retailers.
The pledge has been made as part of the government’s ‘Responsibility Deal’ – a reciprocal agreement between the drinks industry and public health bodies which covers product marketing.
It is expected that the industry will promise not to place any advertisements for alcoholic drinks within 100 metres of schools, and more responsible drinking campaigns will instead be launched.
It is also likely that it will commit to 80 per cent of packaging being revised with unit content labelling by the end of 2013, to ensure that consumers can keep a more accurate idea of exactly how much they are drinking, according to BBC News.
This information will also be available at point of sale in pubs and clubs.
The Portman Group, the drinks industry’s recognised body, have already said it would be updating its code on packaging, advertising and promotion in the next few months.
The deal between the drinks industry and public health groups is aimed at presenting a united front in the battle against alcohol abuse; however, public health groups have criticised the industry for not doing enough to make drinking less affordable.
Don Shenker, of Alcohol Concern, made a statement in BBC News regarding the move: “By allowing the industry to propose such half-hearted pledges on alcohol with no teeth, this government has clearly shown that, when it comes to public health, its first priority is to side with big business and protect private profit.”
Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, responded by confirming: “We have made it clear from the start that the responsibility deal is just one strand of the government’s public health policy. It explicitly excludes cost and price competition to avoid conflicts of interest.”
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