No outright ban on alcohol ads seen

No outright ban on alcohol ads seen

FMCG SUPPLIER NEWS

Business Day - Aug 31st 2011, 13:36

But team plans "significant" restrictions on alcohol advertising and, possibly, a ban in particular segments of the media  

A government task team investigating restrictions on alcohol advertising would probably not recommend an outright ban.

The government’s final decision on alcohol advertising is keenly awaited by the alcohol industry and by the media, which depends heavily on its advertising expenditure.

For the SABC alone, annual advertising spending from alcohol companies amounts to between R250m and R400m.

A proposal emerged in Parliament yesterday for "significant" restrictions on alcohol advertising and, possibly, a ban in particular segments of the media .

Opponents of alcohol advertising say alcohol causes accidents, lowers productivity and causes health and social problems, but Za ne Dangor, special adviser to Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini, said a task team set up to probe the issue had adopted the approach that it was a public health issue rather than one of cost to the economy.

Mr Dangor told a parliamentary media briefing by the social protection and community development cluster of ministers that the task team was looking at models used in other countries.

They were particularly interested in France, where restrictions were placed on TV, internet and radio advertising of alcohol .

Mr Dangor said the task team would submit its report to an inter- ministerial committee soon.

Significant restrictions could be imposed on the way alcohol was marketed on TV, and in the electronic and print media.

Mr Dangor said it was likely these mediums were easily accessible to young audiences . "Research shows that when young people are exposed to alcohol marketing there is a tendency for earlier and harder drinking, and problems later in life," he said.

However, there was a strong view within the task team that sport sponsorships by alcohol companies should be banned altogether because of the very powerful link they drew for young people between sporting prowess and drinking.

The technical team consists of representatives from government departments with links to alcohol such as trade and industry, health, social development and transport.

It also has representatives from the Medical Research Council.

"The point we are making is the cost which the harmful use of alcohol is having on society — the costs are more significant than the potential benefits derived from commercial enterprises," Mr Dangor said.

"We need to move away from looking at alcohol abuse as an economic issue and treat it as a public health issue.

"It is impacting negatively on people’s health and social lives. The costs associated with alcohol far outweigh the economic benefits."

Mr Dangor said an independent study had shown that, from a business perspective, government made a loss from alcohol consumption with the costs exceeding the tax revenue it received.

The government also planned to make substance abuse treatment centres available to the poor by funding nongovernmental organisations that ran such centres .

"We are concerned at the lack of access that many people have to treatment," he said.

"Very few of the treatment centres are state-owned."

Media and marketing analyst Chris Moerdyk warned last month that banning alcohol advertising would lead to the loss of about 2500 jobs. As these would be at the lower levels of employment, the knock-on effect would amount to 30000 people not having breadwinners.