UK Alcohol Charity Calls for Advertising Restrictions

Alcohol Concern, a U.K. charity “working on alcohol issues,” has issued a
report titled “Stick to the Facts” that claims “[a]dvertisers exploit weak rules
to develop content that appeals to both adults and young people. Audience
thresholds limiting the percentage of minors insufficiently shield those
underage. Children and young people in the UK aged 10-15 years are today
exposed to significantly more alcohol adverts than adults than would be
expected, given their viewership patterns.”

The report also claims that self-regulation, particularly as to digital and online content, “is failing to adequately protect children and young people.” Among other matters, the charity calls on policymakers to prohibit alcohol company sponsorship of sporting, cultural and music events, including branded merchandise, restrict advertising at cinemas for all films without an 18 classification, and regulate alcohol promotion by statute, independent of the alcohol and advertising industries.