Responsible drinking messages are ‘failing’

Alcohol Concern is demanding factual health warnings to replace “ambiguous” responsible drinking messages that are “failing consumers”.

Alcohol Concern has condemned responsible drinking messages for “failing consumers”

New research from the charity suggests “drink responsibly” messages accompanying alcohol adverts are being used to promote brands, rather than advise consumers on making sensible drinking choices.

Having analysed alcohol adverts in leading supermarkets’ lifestyle magazines over the course of six months, the study found less than half of alcohol adverts and advertorials carried a responsible drinking message, or equivalent.

Instead, where advice had been given, the messages had been lengthened to include the brand name, drink type or worded in such a way to fit the theme of the advertisement.

“Most of us buy at least some of our alcohol from the big supermarkets, so it’s perhaps not surprising to find lots of alcohol advertising within the magazines,” commented Alcohol Concern’s Mark Leyshon. “What’s more surprising is that over half of the adverts and advertorials reviewed didn’t contain a specific drink responsibly message, other than making reference to the alcohol industry funded Drinkaware website.

“Where ‘drink responsibly’ messages were included, typically these were used by alcohol companies as another way to promote their brands, instead of advising consumers about the health risks associated with alcohol.

“A more effective approach would be to replace these messages with mandatory health warnings, and to implement tighter regulations on how alcohol is advertised.”

Companies taking “real action

In response to these claims, the Portman Group argued that alcohol companies is in fact taking “real action” in an effort to “foster a culture for responsible drinking”.

The company, which represents the UK drinks industry, highlighted that 80% of products on shelves are voluntarily labelled with key health information as part of the government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal.

Today, a total of 90% of alcohol products carry a warning about drinking when pregnant and 75% display the CMO’s daily guidelines – up from 17.6% and 6% in 2008 respectively.

The number of products displaying unit information on labels has also risen by 46% since 2008.

Furthermore, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) from 2009, 88% of 18-24-year-olds and 90% across all age groups were aware of units, while awareness of daily guidelines rose from 58% in 1998 to 75% in 2009.

A spokesman for the Portman Group said: “The responsible drinking message is just one of many ways that drinks companies provide information about sensible drinking to consumers.

“Alcohol producers and retailers are taking real action to encourage healthier lifestyles and foster a culture for responsible drinking.”