It’s Teetotal in the Park
Call to ban drinks sponsorship of major events
DRINKS firms could be banned from sponsoring major events in Scotland in the anti-booze crackdown proposed by Alcohol Focus Scotland.
The independent charity believes that ‘phasing out’ sponsorship of sport, music and cultural events would improve the nation’s health.
But that could prove devastating for the likes of the T in the Park rock festival, which has received millions of pounds from drinks company Tennent’s since 1994.
Scotch whisky pours more than £5 million a year into sporting and cultural events – Johnnie Walker was a major backer of the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.
Magners cider is also embla-
‘Many events would not exist’
zoned across the back of Celtic football shirts, Belhaven brewery backs Scottish golf, and some distilleries sponsor Highland Games and athletes.
But Alcohol Focus Scotland, a key driver behind the SNP’s minimum pricing bid, insists this must change to protect children.
Its recommendations to the Scottish Government include: ‘Prohibit alcohol advertising and advertising in public spaces. Phase out alcohol sponsorship of sports events, music and cultural events.
‘Restrict alcohol advertising content to factual information, such as composition, origin and means of production.’
The report adds: ‘There is clear evidence that children who are exposed to alcohol marketing are more likely to start drinking and drink more, with consequences for their brain development, risktaking behaviours and long-term physical and mental health.
‘The content of alcohol advertising can be very appealing to children. A Scottish study found they recognised alcohol brands more than leading crisp and ice cream brands.’
The Government is locked in a court battle with the Scotch Whisky Association over minimum pricing, which will end at the Supreme Court later this year.
However, it is already considering what more it can do, with a revamped alcohol strategy in the pipeline. Latest figures show 31.2 of 100,000 male deaths in Scotland were due to alcohol in 2014, compared to 18.1 in England, 19.9 in Wales, and 20.3 in Northern Ireland.
But there are doubts over whether a blanket ban on advertising and sponsorship would be effective.
Rosemary Gallagher of the Scotch Whisky Association said: ‘The Scotch whisky industry is rightly proud of its long-running support of a diverse range of community and national sporting and cultural events.
‘The industry spends more than £5million on such sponsorship in Scotland each year.
‘Many events, and related jobs, would not exist without sponsorship and subsequent benefits to economy and society, such as tourism, would be lost.’
Sarah Hanratty, interim chief executive at the Portman Group, which represents the drinks industry, said: ‘Evidence shows that bans on alcohol sponsorship are not a solution to underage drinking – France introduced a sponsorship and marketing ban 20 years ago and their binge-drinking rates among young people have been rising.’