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New research on alcohol advertising in Scotland

Additional Workstream Media Resource Advertising and the UK Economy Scotland

Ahead of a Scottish Government consultation on alcohol advertising expected in the autumn, the Scottish Alcohol Industry Partnership has published some research, commissioned from advertising think-tank Credos.

The new findings show:

  • Alcohol advertising spend has outpaced total alcohol units sold since 2011, clearly demonstrating the amount of alcohol advertised has no direct relationship to the amount of alcohol purchased. Instead, advertising helps to differentiate products in a crowded market, with brands competing to increase their market share by promoting new products or brand attributes.
  • Secondly, alcohol advertising spend appears to have an inverse relationship with alcohol harm, including hospitalisations and underage drinking. While advertising spend has increased these past 20 years, harms have decreased in comparison.
  • It has also been claimed that the growing market for lower strength or zero alcohol alternatives is driving sales of full-strength drinks. But again, Credos found no evidence to support this claim. Instead, these drinks appear, as their name suggests, to be alternatives to alcoholic products and exist within a distinct market.

This evidence suggests that ad bans are unlikely to be effective in tackling alcohol harms.

For more information on industry initiatives that promote responsible drinking in Scotland, please visit https://www.saip.org.uk/

Download the Credos report
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