Alcohol industry grooming children to drink

Sue Dunlevy
September 19, 2012
The Daily Telegraph

THE alcohol industry is grooming children to drink by marketing booze-flavoured chips, chocolates, lip gloss and biscuits.

The nation’s peak medical organisation, the Australian Medical Association, wants new laws to restrict alcohol advertising aimed at young people after exposing the shocking tactics.

A 60 page report by the AMA, obtained by News Limited, uncovers how the alcohol industry is using online games that feature alcohol brands, secret parties with online invitations and Facebook to market alcohol to young people.

The report is to be released at a conference in Canberra on Wednesday amid a continuing national debate about alcohol and violence spearheaded by News Ltd’s Real Heroes Walk Away campaign.

The AMA report says alcohol-sponsored mobile phone apps that provide cocktail recipes, conversation topics or use geolocation technology to recommend nearby bars and clubs are aimed at the young.

The industry has also encouraged children to develop a taste for alcohol by marketing Tim Tams flavoured with Tia Maria, chocolates flavoured with Malibu, vodka flavoured lip gloss and fudge and potato chips flavoured with Jim Beam whisky, the report says.

“By flavouring sweet or salty foods that are popular with children, alcohol companies such as Jim Beam are introducing young consumers to their brand at an early age, encouraging them to develop familiarity with, and loyalty to, their product,” the report says.

Australian Medical Association president Dr Steve Hambleton said alcohol flavoured food was an attempt by the industry to “normalise” alcohol.

“It’s sending a subliminal message that everyone drinks…. your first drink could be a Tim Tam,” he said.

Arnott’s said the Tia Maria flavoured Tim Tams were a limited edition in 2004.

“Arnott’s entered into a licensing agreement with Tia Maria to use their product flavour …each Tim Tam Tia Maria biscuit contained less than 0.1% alcohol…the size of a small biscuit crumb”.

About 90 per cent of those aged as young as 14 have tried alcohol, says the report, which also states that five Australians aged 15-24 die each week from alcohol attributable injury and another 200 are hospitalised.

“Young people are starting to drink at an earlier age, and most drink in ways that put their health at risk,” the report says.

As governments struggle for a policy solution to the death toll associated with king hits and drunken violence, the Australian Medical Association says it is no longer good enough for the alcohol industry to regulate its own advertising.

The voluntary Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code which is administered by the alcohol companies themselves says alcohol advertising should not encourage under-age drinking, appeal to children or encourage excessive alcohol consumption.

But the adjudication panel behind the code lacks any power to enforce it.

Despite the ABAC ruling four times that ads for the Three Kings drinks range encouraged youth drinking, the campaign continued to run.

The AMA wants the government to introduce laws to regulate alcohol advertising so penalties can be enforced, it wants alcohol sponsorship of sport phased out and alcohol sponsorship of youth music and cultural events banned.