Ofcom Calls Time On Loosely Regulated Alcohol Adverts
Ofcom has announced a public consultation on new rules governing the advertising of alcoholic drinks on television.
The watchdog claims the new regulations will respond to continued debate between industry and consumer groups and would seek to outlaw advertising campaigns which glamourise or trivialise alcoholic products.
Among the watchdog’s new rules are bans on advertisements showing drinks being “sloshed liberally around a crowded party room”, references to rounds of drinks and impressions of “daring, toughness, bravado, aggression or boisterous, irresponsible or anti-social behaviour”.
The regulator is also moving to outlaw adverts featuring imagery linking alcohol with sexual activity or attractiveness, youth-targeted alcohol advertising and the irresponsible drinking or serving of alcohol.
The regulator stated that the tightening of regulations governing alcohol advertising was required in order to boost the Cabinet Office strategy on alcohol harm reduction. Commenting on the move, Ofcom’s partner for content and standards, Tim Suter, said: “The evidence from research, as well as a broad consensus of public and industry opinion, indicates there is a strong case for specific changes to the existing rules on these particular products.”
However, in addition to clamping down on antisocial behaviour in drink ads, Ofcom has announced plans to relax the regulations on showing people drinking in the workplace as well as allowing the use of children and teenagers in advertisements, provided they form part of a family socialising responsibly.
The closing date for responses to the public consultation is 24 September. Earlier this month Ofcom pledged to relax the rules governing television and radio sponsorship, a move which will allow broadcasters greater freedom to mix commercial messages into programme breaks and shows.
Under the regulator’s plans the ban on television news presenters appearing in sponsored programmes will be lifted, while restrictions surrounding wording used to describe the sponsors relationship to a programme will also be relaxed (see Ofcom To Relax Broadcast Sponsorship Regulations).
Ofcom: 020 7981 3040 www.ofcom.org.uk
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