Drinks watchdog slams Alcohol Concern's 'misleading' report

Published: 18 August, 2011

Drinks watchdog the Portman Group has called Alcohol Concern's claims that the trade is targeting young people through social media "entirely misleading".

Instead the Portman Group maintains that online alcohol marketing is already strictly and proportionately regulated to prevent alcohol marketing being targeted at children.

The report, by Alcohol Concern, said alcohol companies were increasingly using social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube as a means of promoting their products, and highlighted the inadequacies of online age verification pages aimed at preventing under 18s from accessing content intended for adults.

Don Shenker, chief executive of Alcohol Concern said: "The alcohol industry has very effectively taken advantage of internet technology as a means of promoting its products. Most of the leading drinks companies have a presence on Facebook or Twitter, plus their own websites which often contain content likely to be attractive to young people, such as games and videos, competitions and prizes.

"There's a real danger of children and young people being exposed to alcohol marketing on such sites, particularly given that age verification mechanisms are largely ineffective. This is especially worrying given that research shows that alcohol advertising and marketing have a significant impact on young people's decisions about alcohol.

But Sarah Hanratty, head of external affairs at the Portman Group, said: "It is entirely misleading to suggest that alcohol marketing is being targeted at under 18s - the UK already has some of the strictest rules in place around digital media to prevent alcohol being marketed to children or in a way that might appeal to them.

"It is perfectly legitimate for drinks companies to use social media to market their products to adult consumers provided there are clear safeguards in place - which there are."

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