Health & dietary claims on broadcast alcohol
advertising
Regulatory food labelling and trade description
restrictions apply in the same way to alcohol products as they do
to any food products. However, alongside these and any further
restrictions of health and nutritional claims on food, it is being
proposed that codes of practice on broadcast advertising of alcohol
be further restricted.
Already there are general prohibitions in both TV
and Radio advertising rules (that the consultation proposes are
combined in the following form) that advertisements must not
suggest that alcohol has therapeutic qualities nor offer it as a
stimulant, sedative, mood-changer or source of nourishment, or to
boost confidence. Although they may refer to refreshment,
advertisements must not imply that alcohol can improve any type of
performance. Advertisements must not suggest that alcohol might be
indispensable or link it to illicit drugs.
The consultation further proposes restrictions
along the following lines:
"Advertisements may state the number of
calories per unit of alcohol. They may state the number of grams of
carbohydrates per unit but only if the number of calories per unit
is also made clear. Factual comparisons with other products
are acceptable but no other statements of nutritional content are
permitted. Alcohol must not be advertised in a context of
health or fitness."
The consultation on health and dietary claims ends
on Monday 6 June 2005.
For further information please click here.
Guidance Notes for the Revised TV Alcohol
Advertising Rules
BCAP is also consulting on guidance to the new
Ofcom revised rules that came into force on 1 January
2005.
In short, the rules particularly restrict any
strong appeal to under 18's, strengthen restrictions on sexual
content or links and restrict showing any daring, aggressive,
irresponsible or anti-social behaviour plus they include the
requirement that alcoholic drinks must be handled and served
responsibly.
Guidance notes to help interpret and apply the
revised alcohol rules were originally included in Ofcom's proposals
but, in response to consultation comments, Ofcom removed most of
them and asked BCAP to draft a replacement set, subject to
consultation and Ofcom's final approval. The consultation on the
new guidelines ends on Monday 11 April 2005.
For further information please click here.
BCAP Consultation
To see the whole consultation please click here.
Non-Broadcast Codes
The Non-broadcast advertising CAP and Portman
Groups' Codes do not expressly refer to dietary claims in the
context of alcoholic drinks. They prevent advertising encouraging
immoderate or irresponsible consumption or suggesting that an
alcohol product can enhance physical performance.
Comparison of Approach between Broadcast &
Non-Broadcast
Michelob ULTRA beer advertisement poster was
adjudicated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and
television commercial by the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre
(BACC) in September 2004.
The ASA found, because it contained images of
joggers, that a poster for Michelob Ultra "low-carbohydrate" and
"low-calorie" beer was irresponsible, because it implied that
drinking the beer could help maintain health. For more information
please click here.
The BACC however held the television commercial
suggested that if people related to the lifestyle shown in the
advertisement then they might consider drinking Michelob ULTRA as
an alternative to other beers. As the TV advertisement showed
refreshment after a physical activity and the two were shown
separately with no enhancement of activity, it was held there was
no health benefit claim. For more information please click here. This will open a PDF in a new window.
Now the CAP (Broadcast) and CAP (Non-broadcast) are
both independently administered by the ASA, and with the proposed
strengthening of the broadcasting code that alcohol may not be
advertised in the "context" of health or fitness, it is likely that
any television adverts linking alcohol and health in any way will
be subject to yet further scrutiny and possible censure.