Regulations still failing to protect children from alcohol - Alcohol Concern

Hundreds of thousands of children are regularly exposed to drinks advertising on television, a new report by Alcohol Concern reveals.  Not In front Of the Children-Child Protection and Advertising compares the number of drinks adverts shown before and after the watershed during two weeks in December 2006 and March 2007.

Its findings include that:

• In both weeks the number of drinks adverts rose dramatically during the hours of 3pm and 5pm when children are returning from school.
• Family programmes like Coronation Street, which is allowed to carry drinks adverts attract more than a million viewers aged 4-19.  Other programmes found to be carrying drinks ads included ‘The Simpsons’, ‘Home and Away’, and ‘The X-Factor’
• There are twice as many supermarket alcohol adverts shown before the 9pm watershed than after.

Drinks ads on television are only prohibited if the number of children watching is 20% greater than the proportion of children in society. The report argues that this high threshold for television advertising violates the spirit of the child protection policies and makes it impossible for parents to accurately predict which programmes do not carry drinks adverts. The regulations are also significantly weaker than those for non-broadcast advertising.

Srabani Sen, Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern said:

“Three years ago Ofcom tightened the rules in order to protect children. However, at the time they refused to even consult on a watershed ban. Our report, when coupled with the evidence on the impact of alcohol advertising on children shows that it is time to revisit this decision. In our view a watershed ban is the only way to give parents the peace of mind of knowing that their children can be kept safe from the influence of advertising.” 

Alcohol Concern is recommending a number of changes to the regulatory regime in light of the report’s findings:

• Drinks adverts should be banned between 6am and 9pm (the watershed) to ensure that the vast majority of children aren’t able to see alcohol advertising.
• In programmes which run after the watershed but are still likely to appeal to children, e.g. sporting events, alcohol adverts should not appear where more than 10% of the audience are likely to be children.
• The regulations covering scheduling need to be made clearer and the sanctions for when these are contravened should be publicly promoted.
• Broadcast and non broadcast codes should be brought into line with a clear definition of programming likely to appear to children identified and promoted.

The alcohol industry has rejected Alcohol Concern's arguments (as reported by BBC News):

David Poley, chief executive of the Portman Group which represents nine drinks companies, said:

"The advertising rules, which were toughened two years ago, ban adverts from targeting or appealing to under-18s. "Shielding this age group from any images of alcohol is not helping them grow up with sensible and balanced attitudes to drinking."

Advertising Association spokesman Jonathan Collett said a pre-watershed ban would be "unnecessary and disproportionate." The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice said it was not considering a change to its alcohol codes.