Govt urged to protect kids from alcohol adverts

A drink awareness charity is urging the UK government to reconsider its stance on alcohol advertising in sport to protect children and young people.

Millions of children were exposed to alcohol advertising during the 2014 World Cup

In a report released today, Alcohol Concern revealed that during six World Cup matches, which included three England games, there were 585 promotional references to alcohol.

Approximately 10 alcohol adverts were broadcast during the commercials breaks for each programme, with the number of children and young people under 18-years-old exceeding one million for three of the six games reviewed.

“Alcohol marketing is linked to consumption, particularly in under-18s,” said Tom Smith, programme policy manager at Alcohol Concern. “The volume of alcohol marketing in sport, especially in football which is popular with children and younger people, is enormous.

“Sport should inspire active participation and good health, not more drinking. To protect the younger generation the government needs to implement the phased removal of alcohol marketing from sport, as it has done with tobacco.

“If a million children can be exposed to alcohol marketing on TV and no rules be broken, we should also look at whether the existing rules that are meant to protect our kids are really working.”