How to evaluate the effectiveness of alcohol advertising regulations?

Wim van Dalen & Avalon de Bruijn; 2011

FASE – Focus on Alcohol Safe Environments

Alcohol and the workplace

To reduces the harm done by alcohol to the economy

German Centre for Addiction Issues (DHS)

Safe drinking environments

To create safer drinking environments

LJMU (Liverpool John Moores University)

Alcohol marketing regulations

To reduce the harmful influences of alcohol marketing on youngsters

Dutch institute for alcohol policy (STAP)

Project process (1) literature study

Results of literature searches on relevant

websites

n=38 Excluded/duplicates after checking title and

abstract

n=7,412Close reading

n=288

Not available

N=19

Publication in peer reviewed

journal

n=55

Publication by scholar not in peer reviewed

journal

n=23

Publication by government organization

n=14

Relevant for inclusion in text

n=110

Publication by non-economic

NGO n=9

Publication by economic

operator n=9

Results of literature searches in search

engines

n=7,634

Search in reference lists of articles

n=28

Project process (1) literature study

• Aim: To provide a tool to examine the alcohol marketing regulation’s potential effectiveness. The expected influence on drinking behaviour of children and adolescents is crucial here.

• Inventory on alcohol marketing regulations in 23 EU countries following the framework

• Selection of case studies as examples for effective alcohol marketing regulations in Denmark, Italy, Poland, UK, the Netherlands and Norway

The code of the regulationEvidence-based criteria

Code (general) Distinguished in volume and content restrictions (see below)

Size volume restrictions Contribute substantially to the total volume of alcohol advertisingNo significant substitution effects

Size content restrictions Address all elementsParticipation youth in content regulations

Limit advertisements that are appealing to youngstersEvaluated according to young peoples’ perception

FASE project delivered Evidence based criteria to evaluate alcohol marketing regulations:

Supporting regulatory system

Regulation embedded in regulatory context no conflicting regulations on the supra-national or national levelAvailability legal back stop

Commitment stakeholders Commitment of all stakeholders (Policymakers + civil society + industry related stakeholders)

Transparency Available provisions of information to the public at every stage of the regulation process

Pre-screening system Obligatory Pre-screening system for all marketing types

Complaint system Effective complaint system (Easy access + support from the public)

Composition advertising committee Independent jury

Sanctions Substantial sanctions (act as deterrent)

Monitoring Monitoring Independent from commercial interestsMonitoring Routinely & SystematicallyInclude also “unmeasured” typesAvailability Marketing data to third parties

Coverage Code covers entire range of alcohol marketing practices

Flexibility Code should be updated regularly

How does this relate to alcohol marketing policies in Europe?

law country: Au BE BU CZ DK ES FI FR GE IC IR IT LA LI NL NO PL PO RO SL SP SP

regulation number:                

  Kind of regulation: self regulation                                                                                        

Volume restrictions                                

Coverage - traditional media                                                                                        

Coverage - new media (sponsoring, promotional items, csr, direct marketing, internet)                                                                                        

Is there a ban? Time, place, beverage, media                                                                                        

Content restrictions                                

Coverage - traditional media                                                                                        

Coverage - new media (sponsoring, promotional items, csr, direct marketing, internet)                                                                                        

Protection youth - limit appealing ads                                                                                        

Supporting regulatory system                                

Conflicting regulations on the European or national level?                                                                                        

Commitment all relevant stakeholders                                                                                        

Public availability of complaining proces and outcomes                                                                                        

Pre-screening mandatory and binding                                                                                        

complaint system - can everyone file complaint?                                                                                        

complaint system - Independent jury?                                                                                        

  complaint system - substantial sanctions                                                                                        

Monitoring indepently and systematically                                                                                        

Flexibility - regular update of code                                                                                        

Content restrictions in Europe:

Volume restrictions in Europe:

• We know which elements are essential to include in alcohol advertising regulations, but to which extent do we evaluate existing alcohol marketing regulations within this framework?

Conclusions:

• It is feasible to evaluate existing regulations with evidence-based criteria;

• There is a broad variety in strength of content/volume restrictions and strength of existing regulations in Europe;

• SR has more content restrictions; Legislation has more volume restrictions;

Some results of the AMMIE project

Volume exposure of young people to alcohol advertising on TV

• Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands• 3 channels most watched by young people (13-17 years old)• May and October 2010• Delivered by Nielsen Media

Current regulations

• Time restrictions – Italy (restrictions from 16.00-19.00h)– Netherlands (completely banned from 06.00-21.00h)

• Product restrictions – Bulgaria (spirits on TV restricted)

• 30% threshold – max. 30% of the audience can exist of minors– SR in Netherlands (25%)– Since November 2010 Bulgaria (30%)– since 15 October 2010 Denmark (30%)– Monitored by EFRD in Europe

Exposure to alcohol marketing (1)

Number of exposures* per age group (three channels, two months)

# exposures to all (aged 4+)

# exposures to youth(aged 13-17**)

Bulgaria 553.534.976 19.054.488

Denmark 157.195.578 9.018.417

Germany 6.992.430.000 414.470.000

Italy 2.845.272.716 120.238.120

Netherlands 623.889.177 37.490.765

Source: Nielsen media

*Number of time á person from this age group saw án advertisement

Exposure to alcohol marketing (2)

Average number of alcohol commercials seen per person (3 channels, 2 months)

# of ads seen by all (aged 4+)

# of as seen by aged 13-17

Bulgaria 76,4 46,8

Denmark 29,4 21,9

Germany 97,5 95,7*

Italy 49,6 41,9

Netherlands 41,2 31,6

Source: nielsen media research

Average numbers: number of exposures / number of persons in age group*Young people aged 13-17 in Germany see at least 1,5 commercials a day (3 channels, two months)

30% threshold, protecting youngsters?

• Adopted from US were 30% of population is <21 years old• In EU-27 17,9% is below 18 years old (Eurostat, 2010)

• Exposure of 30% -> overexposing minors!

More protective proportional standard -> taking into account at risk group (1)

Recommendations

1. Proportional standard – prevents overexposure– Should consider at risk population (13-17 year olds)– EU-27 -> 5,5% of audience

2. Time ban– Prevents exposure of large numbers of young people– Easy to monitor – At least 06.00 - 23.00h recommended

Thank you for your attention!