Last orders: Govt mulls calling time on £6bn booze ads

The Government is risking the wrath of the booze industry – as well as the advertising and marketing sector – following claims that the Department of Health & Social Care is considering slapping a partial ban on the advertising of alcoholic drinks in the UK.

The NHS 10-year health plan is set to be officially released next week; however, Sky News has claimed that a potential alcohol ad ban is included in the draft.

According to the Advertising Code, the rules already state that alcohol ads must not be directed at people under 18 or contain anything that is likely to appeal to them by reflecting youth culture, and individuals that feature in alcohol ads must be 25 years of age or over, and look it.

There are also strict controls around the placement of alcohol ads and they are currently banned from appearing in and around programmes targeted at audiences below the age of 18 and programmes likely to appeal particularly to this age group.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) is against the plan. A spokesperson said: “With over 80% consuming alcohol within government guidelines, any proposed measures must focus on helping the minority who drink at harmful levels.”

Any new restrictions would be a major blow to the ad industry; it is estimated booze brands spend more than £6bn on advertising and sponsorship.

A Department for Health & Social Care spokesman insisted the 10-year health plan will not include a ban on alcohol advertising but conceded: “We are exploring options for partial restrictions to bring it closer in line with advertising of unhealthy food.”

Last month, the Government delayed plans to ban TV advertising for products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) before 9pm – and at any time online – until January 2026, although there is a voluntary agreement in place for the industry to start in October as originally planned. These measures were first mooted nearly a decade ago.

Advertising and marketing trade bodies, including the Advertising Association, IPA and ISBA have yet to comment on the speculation, although they were very proactive when similar restrictions were planned by the Scottish government back in 2021.

At the time, they joined forces with the Marketing Society Scotland, the British Promotional Merchandise Association, the Cinema Advertising Association and the UK Cinema Association, the Scottish Newspaper Society, and Outsmart to release a joint statement.

It stated: “The proposals set out… will be harmful to the Scottish economy – including local communities – to Scotland’s advertising and creative industries, and to the Scottish media including publishers, broadcasters and cinemas, as well as the outdoor advertising sector. At the end of the day, we are talking about an impact on Scottish businesses, Scottish jobs and Scottish communities for no discernible benefit.

“We call for a fundamental re-think of the proposals with a focus on targeted and practical policies that will facilitate behaviour change without damaging the Scottish economy and the advertising and creative industries that are important to the entrepreneurial Scotland that the Scottish Government wants to see.”