News
- Challenge and Change: Rod Anderson
- Parliament must come together to renew and reinvigorate MUP
- A responsible drinking campaign that features cocktail recipes
- Unacceptable rise in alcohol-specific deaths
- Health experts share concerns about complaint made on MUP evaluation
- Decline in alcohol treatment in Scotland
- Challenge and Change: Lived Experience Voices on Alcohol Marketing
- Blog post for Alcohol Awareness Week 2023
- Final verdict on MUP
- Alcohol and diabetes
- Doctors say lack of response on alcohol deaths could spell disaster for Scotland
- MUP reduces deaths and hospital admissions
- Alcohol hospital admissions continue to be too high
- Lessons learned from countries with marketing restrictions
- What is the effect of alcohol marketing on people with or at risk of an alcohol problem?
- ONS figures show highest alcohol deaths on record
- MUP and alcohol sales
- Scottish Government launches alcohol marketing consultation
- MUP and alcohol products and prices
- Scottish Health Survey 2021
- New licensing policy review guide
- Slight increase in alcohol-specific deaths
- Health campaigners call on Scottish Government to regulate alcohol packaging
- Scottish charity calls for ban on all alcohol promotion
- New NCD Prevention Report - Mapping Future Harm
- Online Alcohol Sales & Deliveries: A survey of young people in Scotland
- Four years of MUP
- Prominent health warnings make drinking “unappealing”
- Insights from People in Recovery
- Meet our Engagement Team Marc
- Meet our Engagement Team Megan
- Report on alcohol sales and harm in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Sugar content in wine revealed
- Alcohol hospital admissions lower during pandemic
- Study reveals those already at risk from heavy drinking bought more alcohol during lockdowns
- Alcohol policy measures could reduce ambulance callouts
- 18.6% increase in deaths from alcohol in 2020
- Widespread support for calls to increase minimum unit price for alcohol to 65p
- Students as Change Agents
- Health charities call for action to save lives from Scotlands biggest killers
- Three quarters of Scots back new controls to help protect children from alcohol advertising
- Alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland increase
- More accurate estimates for the burden of Alcohol on the Ambulance Service: around 1 in 6 callouts in Scotland are alcohol related
- How can alcohol labels be improved to help people make informed consumption choices
- Health experts call for better alcohol labelling
- Young people and their views on alcohol marketing
- Lowest alcohol sales in Scotland for 26 years
- Minimum unit pricing has lasting impact study shows
- Euros renews call for action to protect children from alcohol sports sponsorship
- Current alcohol labelling of little relevance to young adult drinkers
- Governments should step up efforts to tackle harmful alcohol consumption
- Scottish public and leading health experts back changes to alcohol labelling
- AFS calls for 65p minimum unit price for alcohol
- How will the main parties prevent harm from alcohol?
- Alcohol labelling reform is way past its sell by date
- Alcohol policy priorities for the next parliament
- Young drinkers believe prominent health warnings on alcohol could boost risk awareness
- Alcohol and the Workplace Effective Interventions
- Alcohol sales and consumption in Scotland during the pandemic
- How can we prevent alcohol deaths?
- Alcohol Deaths and Minimum Unit Pricing
- YoungScot Health Panel report on alcohol marketing and harm
- Young Scots show support for restrictions on alcohol marketing
- New release of alcohol related hospital admissions
- Better alcohol labelling – A way to boost awareness of the risk between alcohol and cancer?
- NICE Guidelines on FASD Surveillance or Support?
- Alcohol Deaths Prevention Support
- Almost half of Scots in favour of minimum unit pricing
- Leading health charities call for action in Scotland
- Health experts campaign for better understanding of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- Health experts call for alcohol labelling overhaul
- Australian ministers agree to visible pregnancy warning
- Alcohol Focus Scotland welcomes new WHO report on alcohol pricing
- Survey shows Scots lockdown drinking rise caused by stress
- Statistical analysis of off-trade alcohol sales in the year following MUP
- Alcohol Focus Scotland Review of statements of licensing policy 2018 to 2023
- We need to continue long-term focus on alcohol
- Scots report changing drinking patterns during coronavirus lockdown
- Time to Blow the Whistle on Alcohol Sport Sponsorship
- New evidence demonstrates that alcohol ads lead to youth drinking
- Alcohol sales fall in first year of MUP
- First study published into under 18 drinkers post MUP
- Commission on Alcohol Harm calls for evidence
- Two years on Are annual functions reports reaching their potential?
- We need to do more to protect our children and young people
- New Alcohol Deaths Prevention Support Now Available from AFS
- Scottish primary children call for action on alcohol
- Its time to tell us whats in our drinks
- A home for Rory
- Making a bad impression - blog post
- Alcohol marketing and children debate in the Scottish Parliament
- Alcohol sales and MUP
- Lowest alcohol sales in 25 years
- Research into fall in violence
- The Children's Parliament investigates an alcohol-free childhood
- Minimum unit pricing one year on
- More about sales data
- A family of resources it is all about prevention, education and resilience
- AFS publish Review of Licensing Board Annual Functions Reports 2017-2018
- Marketing unmasked dispelling the myths and taking a stand
- No place for alcohol marketing in sport
- Scotland publishes first UK guidelines for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
- The Alcohol Framework 2018 Preventing Harm
- Scotlands new drug and alcohol strategy launched
- AFS welcome new alcohol strategy
- Recent reporting on alcohol sales data
- Diageo is failing to provide latest guidelines on their products
- Drinks companies keeping consumers in dark about risky drinking
- Reducing alcohol consumption can address health inequalities
- Global first alcohol policy set to save hundreds of Scots' lives
- AFS welcomes minimum unit pricing for alcohol
- Truer picture of alcohol harm revealed
- Alcohol causes 3,700 deaths in Scotland every year
- Scotland's licensing system needs clearer direction
- Minimum pricing blog
- Minimum pricing gets green light
- Alcohol brands and young people
- Time for honest conversations about alcohol
- Q&A on alcohol marketing
- UK children anxious about parents' drinking
- Alcohol producers failing to inform public
- Concern over alcohol-related deaths
- We need to make it easier for people to drink less
- Worrying rise in alcohol-related deaths
- Minimum pricing will save lives
- Pocket money prices for alcohol continue
- Scotland's alcohol problem laid bare
- Cheap alcohol is costing Scotland dear
- One drink a day can increase breast cancer risk
- Poverty linked to increased harm from alcohol
- What next for reducing alcohol harm in Scotland?
- Scotland must do more to turn tide of alcohol harm
- Concern as funding for alcohol services cut
- Scottish Government urged to curb alcohol marketing
- Consumers have the right to know health risks
- Alcohol-free childhood is healthiest option
- SWA granted leave to appeal minimum pricing
- Scottish Greens call for action on alcohol marketing
- SWA will appeal to UK Supreme Court
- SWA urged to respect minimum pricing decision
- Minimum pricing can be implemented in Scotland
- AFS welcomes revised alcohol consumption guidelines
- Emergency services face shocking levels of alcohol abuse
- Every child has the right to grow up safe from alcohol harm
- New toolkit to help children affected by family alcohol problems
- Alcohol campaigners unite to call for stronger protection from alcohol advertising to children
- No completely 'safe' level of drinking
- New alcohol guidelines published
- Minimum pricing - European court ruling
- Alcohol: a global concern
Marketing unmasked: dispelling the myths and taking a stand
With Transport for London banning junk food advertising across London’s public transport network and the Scottish Government currently considering restrictions on the promotion and marketing of unhealthy foods, our thoughts turn to how alcohol marketing impacts on our children and what action can be taken to address this.
This was the theme of the meeting of the Cross Party Group on Improving Scotland’s Health: 2021 and Beyond held on 20th February 2019. At the meeting we heard from two speakers: Dr Nathan Critchlow (Institute for Social Marketing at the University of Stirling), who talked through research on exposure of alcohol marketing to children and young people and Vivienne MacLaren, chair of Scottish Women’s Football, who outlined their principled stance to reject offers of sponsorship from alcohol and gambling industries.
Young people are regularly exposed to alcohol marketing
Dr Critchlow presented findings from the Youth Alcohol Policy Survey of over 3000 young people aged 11-19 years in the UK. The survey revealed that young people are exposed to alcohol marketing on a regular basis: at least half of those surveyed saw the equivalent of one ad every day, while a third of under 18s saw the equivalent of two ads a day. Young people could also recognise alcohol brands, recalling, on average, around a third of the brands in the survey.
Exposure to alcohol marketing changes drinking behaviours and attitudes
Dr Critchlow explained that the effects of alcohol marketing come from cumulative exposure to all types of marketing, from the traditional forms such as TV advertising, product design, price offers and event sponsorship to the newer digital forms, such as social media, games, websites and sponsored content.
The research found that young people’s exposure to alcohol marketing was associated with
- susceptibility to drink in never drinkers;
- brand identification;
- increased consumption; and
- higher-risk drinking.
Taking a stand against alcohol marketing in women’s football
Vivienne MacLaren, chair of Scottish Women’s Football spoke to the group about their decision to reject sponsorship offers from the alcohol and gambling industries. .
The demographics of the players has been a huge influence on their decision. There are currently almost 8000 female players registered, with 80% under 18 years old. The experiences of, and feedback from, the players influenced the decision of SWF in declining alcohol sponsorship. Over the past 5 years or so, there have been a number of issues with alcohol, including a tragic death of a 21 year old player.
In 2014, when funds were low, SWF were approached by an alcohol company with an offer of sponsorship. They declined the offer because the board felt the partner didn’t fit with their approach. Ms MacLaren explained that to them this was just common sense – why have a partner that’s pushing alcohol to children? SWF want to partner with positive brands to help create a ‘clean sport’ and believe that they will get bigger commercial sponsors in time who can benefit their members in the long-term rather than those who are only interested in short-term investment.
The need for positive role models for the players is also a driver for SWF. Feedback from the younger players is that they don’t want to drink alcohol because they want to be the best, which means a healthy lifestyle. SWF acknowledge that they have a responsibility to their members, which is why they are taking a stand against alcohol and gambling sponsorship in sport. They have a duty to help and encourage women and girls to play football and understand how to enjoy and live healthy lives.
There is potential for action to protect children and young people
The policy context in relation to alcohol marketing is mixed across the UK and Ireland. Although the UK Government has acknowledged that young people see alcohol marketing and that this impacts on their consumption, they are content with the current self-regulatory approach. On the other hand, Ireland has recently introduced legislation on a range of measures to control alcohol marketing.
Scotland has the opportunity to be progressive in this area. The upcoming commitment in the Scottish Government’s Alcohol Framework to consult on measures to restrict alcohol marketing to protect children and young people is hugely positive and provides a chance to build on the evidence and the positive stance taken by SWF and take action.
Alcohol Focus Scotland, together with BMA Scotland, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems and Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs are already building support via our pledge “I believe that alcohol marketing has no place in childhood. All children should play, learn and socialise in places that are healthy and safe, protected from exposure to alcohol advertising and sponsorship.” We’re pleased to have the support of 40 organisations and the majority of sitting MSPs (70) representing all parties have signed up to our pledge below. If your organisation would like to sign up please get in touch with Rebecca.sibbett@alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk
Left to right: Ms Vivienne MacLaren, chair of Scottish Women’s Football; Kenneth Gibson MSP, CPG co-convener; Sheila Duffy, chief executive, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Scotland; Dr Nathan Critchlow, Institute for Social Marketing, University of Stirling; Brian Whittle MSP, CPG co-convener; and Alison Douglas, chief executive, Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS).