Time to cut down on all those booze ads, say MPs

ALCOHOL advertising needs tighter restrictions to limit the ‘constant bombardment’ at celebrations such as Christmas and sports events, MPs and health experts have warned.

An Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA) report found that the marketing of alcohol at special events made it difficult for those who were addicted or in recovery to fully participate in everyday life and could trigger relapse.

The report – No escape: How alcohol marketing preys on children and vulnerable people – also noted that children were regularly exposed to alcohol marketing.

A 2019 poll funded by Cancer Research UK of more than 2,500 young people found that 82 per cent of 11- to 17-year-olds had seen alcohol marketing in the previous month.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the AHA which represents more than 60 non-governmental organisations, said: ‘The Government must now introduce comprehensive marketing restrictions in both real-world and digital spaces to ensure that vulnerable adults and children are protected from alcohol advertising and its harm.’