A pre-watershed ban on alcohol advertising will protect children from “predatory marketing of the alcohol industry”, Alcohol Action Ireland has claimed.
The ban, which begins today, means no advertisements for alcohol products can be broadcast on television between 3am to 9pm and on radio from 3pm until 10am the following morning.
Alcohol Action Ireland CEO Dr Sheila Gilheany has welcomed the move and said its implementation will reduce the level of exposure of children to alcohol marketing.
“It has been a long wait for this legislation to finally come into action,” she said.
“It’s imperative really that we have legislation like this - which is really designed to protect our young people from the predatory marketing of the alcohol industry.”
Dr Gilheaney also claimed that Guinness owner Diageo is "the number four broadcast advertiser to children".
Teenagers drinking alcohol. Image: Image Source Limited / Alamy Stock PhotoDr Gilheany added that there is still more the State can do to protect children.
“What’s needed is the full implementation of the Public Health Alcohol Act,” she said.
“There are other important measures around alcohol advertising that are part of the same legislation but still haven’t been implemented.
“So, for example, there’s an important measure which is designed to control the content of alcohol advertising.”
According to the National Drugs Library, 70% of Irish people reported drinking alcohol within the past 12 months.
In a statement, a Diageo said it "never targets its advertising towards children".
"We take our responsibility as a producer of adult products very seriously,' a spokesperson said.
"We are subject to some of the strictest regulations of advertising in the world and comply with the legislation in place, including the PHAA, and advertising and broadcasting codes including BAI, ASAI and Copy Clear’’.
Main image: Teenagers drinking. Picture by: Alamy.com
