Research Report

"They'll drink bucket loads of the stuff": An analysis of internal alcohol industry documents

Details

Citation

Hastings G, Brooks O, Stead M, Angus K, Anker T & Farrell T (2010) "They'll drink bucket loads of the stuff": An analysis of internal alcohol industry documents. London: House of Commons Health Select Committee. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmhealth.htm

Abstract
First paragraph: As part of its 2009 investigation into the conduct of the UK alcohol industry, the House of Commons Health Select Committee obtained access to internal marketing documents from both producers and their advertising agencies. These reveal major shortcomings in the current self regulatory codes covering alcohol advertising. Specifically, the codes do not, as they are supposed to, protect young people from alcohol advertising; prevent the promotion of drunkenness and excess; or the linking of alcohol with social and sexual success. Nor do they even attempt to address sponsorship, and the documents show this is being systematically used to undermine rules prohibiting the linking of alcohol with youth culture and sporting prowess. Finally, the codes are extremely weak in their treatment of new media which are rapidly become the biggest channel for alcohol promotion. The result is a regulatory system that is impossible to police and vulnerable to exploitation.

Keywords
alcohol; advertising

StatusPublished
Publication date31/12/2010
URLhttp://hdl.handle.net/1893/11732
PublisherHouse of Commons Health Select Committee
Publisher URLhttp://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmhealth.htm
Place of publicationLondon

People (2)

People

Ms Kathryn Angus

Ms Kathryn Angus

Research Officer, Institute for Social Marketing

Professor Gerard Hastings

Professor Gerard Hastings

Emeritus Professor, Institute for Social Marketing

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