'The 0.0 makes 0.0 difference': Protest calls for action on zero-alcohol advertising at sports events

(Left to right) Conor Keane, CEO of Alcohol Action  Ireland, Shelia Gilheamy and Policy and research officer Eoin Ryan beside their mobile billboardat today's protest. Photo Sam Boal/Collins Photos

The Government has been urged to “close the loophole” allowing the advertising of zero-alcohol drinks at the likes of Ireland rugby games, when the law prohibits promotion of full-strength alcohol at such events.

On Wednesday, Alcohol Action Ireland and the National Youth Council displayed a mobile billboard outside Leinster House asking minister for health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to address the issue, which they claimed meant children were “saturated” with advertising for alcohol when watching big sporting events.

Specifically, they pointed to this weekend’s Six Nations crunch clash between Ireland and France as one which will have advertising for Guinness 0.0 on the pitch and advertising hoardings throughout, having already been the case for the England game in the Aviva Stadium last month.

“One of the measures within [the law] is that there’s a ban on alcohol advertising on the field of play,” said Alcohol Action Ireland CEO Sheila Gilheany.

“And yet, when we look at something like the Guinness Six Nations, what we see absolutely plastered over the field is alcohol branding.” 

As part of the State’s wide-ranging Public Health Alcohol Bill, which introduced the likes of minimum unit pricing and separation of alcohol in shops, the advertising of an alcohol product in a sports area when a sports event is taking place is prohibited.

Branding for zero alcohol products have featured at multiple events since the enacting of this law while the industry has said these adverts abide by the laws, and that such products are in growing demand among consumers drinking in moderation.

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Last month, after the England game, Guinness owner Diageo said that the “availability of non-alcoholic products does not increase the demand for alcoholic products, any suggestion to the contrary contradicts clear market trends and evidence”.

However, Ms Gilheany said she was “shocked” that the Government had not moved on the issue and that “enough was enough”.

“After all, the Public Health Alcohol Bill was designed to protect children and we need to start looking at zero-alcohol advertising through their eyes - the 0.0 makes 0.0 difference to them,” she said.

Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice said it was clear there was a loophole in the law and it “should be fixed”.

He said:

The examples from Alcohol Action are very, very clear that it’s alcohol advertising through another means, with the 0.0 advertising. 

“A lot of work went into the Public Health Alcohol Bill and it needs to be implemented in full and in the true spirit of the law.” 

Speaking on the matter on Wednesday, the health minister said there’s a broad body of work ongoing in relation to the wide-ranging alcohol laws passed by the Government.

“I do see myself how similar some of the advertising is for the different products, whether they’re 0.0 or not, and how there could be a better differentiation in relation to that,” Ms Carroll MacNeill said.

“I can see that clearly, just as any person. There’s a broad body of work in relation public health and alcohol but I can clearly see what they’re highlighting.”

In a statement, industry body Drinks Ireland said that the belief that restricting the advertising of non-alcoholic drinks would decrease the consumption of alcohol is "patently misguided and nonsensical".

Director Cormac Healy said: "The suggestion that the industry targets children in their advertising is utterly wrong and paints a wholly inaccurate sensationalist view of the industry and belies the strict parameters within which they advertise. Attempts to conflate alcohol and non-alcohol variants deliberately misrepresents the reality of how these products are being consumed and who benefits from them.

“The advertising of zero-alcohol products already adheres to distinct and clear guidelines from the Advertising Standards Authority, including that they should only be directed at adult audiences.

“Any suggestion otherwise misrepresents these clear standards in place and also illustrates a lack of understanding of consumer preferences in today’s Ireland."