Sir, – In "New laws on alcohol advertising could cost media companies ¤20 million a year" (Business, July 7th), the media industry warns that new advertising restrictions proposed in the Bill could "reduce the annual revenues of media companies here by €20 million".
This, yet again, is typical of the divisive language that has calculatingly sown the seed of doubt in legislator’s minds and caused over 500 days of an inexcusable delay to the Bill’s passage.
The impact on total advertising revenues will be nominal. Recent advertising expenditure data from Nielsen, 2016, indicates that total drink expenditure was €47 million (exclusive of alcohol promotion by multiples).
Are we to really believe the hyperbole that revenues, in an industry worth just over €1 billion, will “collapse” in the face of targeted regulation?
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Only a minute amount of this spending will likely be affected by the provisions of the Bill. Drinks companies will be allowed to continue to advertise their brands, including an image of the product, an image or reference to its place of origin, its method of production, its price, its brand marque, its name, its logo, a description of its flavour, etc.
While this is not an exhaustive list, it would seem a reasonable range of expression for even the most creatively challenged.
The Bill does not propose to prohibit advertising of alcohol products.
It contains a modest set of regulations principally on the content of advertisements that will limit the appeal of alcohol advertising, particularly to children.
This will minimise its impact so that alcohol products can no longer align with performance, success, social inclusion or a variety of other positive outcomes.
The Bill, were it to be passed, will prohibit alcohol advertising in certain places and times, placing a limited “ads-free zone” perimeter of 200 metres around schools and early-years services.
Alcohol products would also no longer be advertised on public service vehicles.
World Health Organisation data conclusively demonstrates that alcohol consumption in France has fallen by 26 per cent since legislative measures were introduced in 1991. Ireland’s consumption of alcohol in 2016 rose by 4.8 per cent to 11.46 litres.
Evidence-based research dictates that public action must be taken now to curb our high risk levels of alcohol consumption. The rights of private economic interests must be rebalanced to allow for a reasonable public intervention that supports a responsible society’s endeavour to live healthier and more productive lives. – Yours, etc,
EUNAN McKINNEY,
Head of Communications
and Advocacy,
Alcohol Action Ireland,
Coleraine House,
Coleraine Street,
Dublin 7.