HERE’S TO THE BEERS — FROM PITCH TO PITCHER
Adams, senior lecturer in public health at Newcastle University.
‘‘Alcohol marketing is big business and we know that kids in particular are affected by it. Children who don’t drink but are exposed to alcohol advertising are more likely to start drinking earlier in their lives and children who do drink are more likely to drink more,’’ she told the Science Festival.
‘‘Kids are very aware of this stuff. One survey of 13-year-olds found 96% of them are aware of alcohol marketing, and alcohol marketing in football matches matters because it’s a hugely popular spectator sport,’’ she added.
The drinks industry spends about £200 million (9.99 billion baht) per year on advertising and another £600 million on other kinds of marketing, such as sport sponsorship.
A voluntary code of practice that limits what the industry does in sport does not work and mandatory regulations should be considered, Dr Adams said.
‘‘Insider documents from the alcohol industry show just how much the industry is flaunting its own regulations, so I think we need to consider more enforceable regulations,’’ Dr Adams said. ‘‘It [the voluntary system] does nothing to combat or reduce the constant bombardment of very simple branding we see throughout the matches that we know is harmful to our children,’’ she told the festival.
‘‘Current regulation is focused on tobacco advertising and it seems this is not the main thing that people are exposed to,’’ she added.
‘‘I certainly think they [restrictions on alcohol marketing in sports] should be considered . . . like tobacco, where we’ve had a widespread bunch of regulations restricting marketing, sponsorship and advertising, that needs to be considered for alcohol,’’ she said.
The Independent EDITOR’S NOTE: The Expat Counsel column will return next week.