Alcohol Action Ireland has told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children that it will be spurning the opportunity to make a significant difference to the health and wellbeing of future generations of Irish people if it fails to tackle alcohol marketing and advertising, including alcohol sponsorship of sport, as part of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill.
Suzanne Costello, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland, said: “Due to the ongoing failure to introduce effective regulations and legislation governing this area, the alcohol industry has effectively become Irish children and young people’s primary educator on alcohol. Therefore, proposals to place existing voluntary codes governing alcohol advertising and alcohol sponsorship of sport on a statutory footing through this Bill are deeply concerning.”
“Every day, in many different ways and through many different channels – whether it’s social media, TV, billboards, sports sponsorship, product placement in films or music videos – Irish children are continuously exposed to positive, risk-free images of alcohol and its use. These all work to reinforce one another and are sophisticated and powerful influences on children’s drinking expectations and behaviour. Ultimately, they all work together to sell more alcohol,” said Ms Costello.
“Sponsorship of sporting events by alcohol brands is a particularly potent form of sales promotion and comprehensive evidence shows that children are not only exposed to a large amount of alcohol promotion through sports sponsorship, but that their beliefs and behaviour in relation to alcohol are influenced by the alignment of alcohol brands with their sporting heroes and everything they represent.”
Source: Alcohol Action Ireland, 26/03/15
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