A Neurobiological Model of Alcohol Marketing Effects on Underage Drinking

Beyond the Laws: Parental Monitoring, Perceived Acceptability of Underage Drinking and Alcohol Use Among Belgian Youth

Parental monitoring behaviors are negatively associated with adolescent substance use. Yet, the processes explaining these associations are still unclear. The current study examined adolescents' knowledge of minimum legal drinking age laws and their perceived acceptability of underage drinking as potential mediators of the links between parental monitoring behaviors and youth alcohol use. The sample included 1154 Belgian adolescents (Mage = 16.34, SD = 1.33; 71% girls), who were recruited in Wallonia (54.9%) and in Flanders (45.1%). Path analyses revealed that higher parental rule setting, but not solicitation, was related to lower alcohol use. Acceptability of underage drinking mediated this link, but not knowledge of the laws. Results suggest that beyond laws regulating the minimum legal drinking age, alcohol use prevention programs should consider the importance of parental rule setting and youth's perceived acceptability of underage drinking.

The impacts of alcohol marketing and advertising, and the alcohol industry's views on marketing regulations: Systematic reviews of systematic reviews

ISSUES

Advertising and marketing affect alcohol use; however, no single systematic review has covered all aspects of how they affect alcohol use, and how the alcohol industry views alcohol marketing restrictions.

APPROACH

Two systematic reviews of reviews were performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items on 2 February 2023. Results were analysed using a narrative synthesis approach.

KEY FINDINGS

Twenty-three reviews were included in the systematic reviews. The first systematic review examined youth and adolescents (11 reviews), digital or internet marketing (3 reviews), alcohol marketing's impact on cognition (3 reviews), and alcohol marketing and policy options (2 reviews). The second systematic review focused on alcohol industry (i.e., importers, producers, distributors, retailers and advertising firms) response to advertising restrictions (four reviews). The reviews indicated that there is evidence that alcohol marketing (including digital marketing) is associated with increased intentions to drink, levels of consumption and harmful drinking among youth and young adults. Studies on cognition indicate that advertisements focusing on appealing contexts and outcomes may be more readily accepted by adolescents, and may be less easily extinguished in this population. The review of the alcohol industry found a strong desire to self-regulate alcohol advertising.

IMPLICATIONS

We found alcohol advertising and marketing is associated with increased drinking intentions, consumption and harmful drinking. Thus, policies which restrict advertising may be an effective way to reduce alcohol use.

CONCLUSION

More research is needed to assess all aspects of the observed associations, especially as to how marketing policies impact women and people with alcohol dependence.

How frequently is alcohol advertised on television in Canada?: A cross-sectional study

AIMS

Alcohol marketing is a commercial driver of alcohol use, including among youth. This study sought to quantify and characterize alcohol advertising on broadcast television in Canada.

METHODS

Open-source television program logs for January to December 2018 submitted to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission by 147 stations with alcohol advertisements were analyzed.

RESULTS

Overall, 501 628 alcohol advertisements were broadcast. Four companies accounted for 83% of advertisements, namely, Anheuser-Busch in Bev (33.7%), Molson Coors (22.7%), Diageo (16.1%), and Arterra Wines Canada (10.8%). On conventional stations, advertising was highest on French-language stations [Median (Mdn) = 3224; interquartile range (IQR) = 2262] followed by those with programming in foreign/mixed languages (Mdn = 2679; IQR = 219) and English-language stations (Mdn = 1955; IQR = 1563). On speciality stations, advertising was most frequent on those primarily focused on sports programming (Mdn = 8036; IQR = 7393), movies and scripted shows (Mdn = 7463; IQR = 5937), and cooking (Mdn = 5498; IQR = 4032). On weekdays, 33% of alcohol ads aired from 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 9 p.m. and on weekends, 52% aired from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. when children or adolescents are more likely to be watching television. On youth-oriented stations (n = 4), 7937 alcohol advertisements were broadcast with most airing from 9 p.m. to midnight (44-45%) or 12-6 a.m. (50%) on both weekdays and weekends.

CONCLUSIONS

While few alcohol advertisements were broadcast on youth-oriented stations, young people in Canada are likely exposed to such advertising on programming intended for older or general audiences (e.g. sports). More research is needed to ascertain the extent to which broadcast television constitutes a source of alcohol advertising exposure among youth and to inform policies aimed at protecting them from the influence of such exposure.

Alcohol Recognition and Desire to Drink of Extended Alcohol Brand Logos

Alcohol companies in Thailand have adopted surrogate marketing that uses similar logos on non-alcoholic products. We aimed to assess variations of the alcohol recognition using reaction time and desire to drink among consumers exposed to original logos and modified logos (i.e., black logos, partial logos, logos on non-alcoholic beverages and other merchandise). Participants aged ≥19 years took part in this cross-sectional study. The primary independent variables were types of logos: original logos, modified logos (i.e., black logos, partial logos, logos on non-alcoholic beverages, and logos on other merchandise). An in-house-developed online survey randomly presented the logos. Alcohol recognition and the desire to drink alcohol were assessed. The study included 1185 participants. More time (estimated coefficient of reaction time <0.5 s) was required to recognize the modified logos than the original logos. Younger participants (19-24 years) reacted significantly faster than the older participants (>25 years) after seeing all types of logos. The desire to drink alcohol (<0.5 point) upon seeing the modified logos was lower than the original logos. No significant difference in the desire was observed between the younger and older participants upon seeing the original and partial logos. The modified logos reminded consumers of the alcohol products of that brand with a tiny difference in reaction time and the desire to drink without practical significance.

Lower Strength Alcohol Products—A Realist Review-Based Road Map for European Policy Making

This paper reports the result of a realist review based on a theory of change that substitution of higher strength alcohol products with lower strength alcohol products leads to decreases in overall levels of alcohol consumption in populations and consumer groups. The paper summarizes the results of 128 publications across twelve different themes. European consumers are increasingly buying and drinking lower strength alcohol products over time, with some two fifths doing so to drink less alcohol. It tends to be younger more socially advantaged men, and existing heavier buyers and drinkers of alcohol, who take up lower strength alcohol products. Substitution leads to a lower number of grams of alcohol bought and drunk. Although based on limited studies, buying and drinking lower strength products do not appear to act as gateways to buying and drinking higher strength products. Producer companies are increasing the availability of lower strength alcohol products, particularly for beer, with extra costs of production offset by income from sales. Lower strength alcohol products tend to be marketed as compliments to, rather than substitutes of, existing alcohol consumption, with, to date, the impact of such marketing not evaluated. Production of lower strength alcohol products could impair the impact of existing alcohol policy through alibi marketing (using the brand of lower strength products to promote higher strength products), broadened normalization of drinking cultures, and pressure to weaken policies. In addition to increasing the availability of lower strength products and improved labelling, the key policy that favours substitution of higher strength alcohol products with lower strength products is an alcohol tax based on the dose of alcohol across all products.

Exposure to Alcohol Marketing and Alcohol-Related Consequences in Young Adults

Exposure to alcohol marketing is positively associated with alcohol consumption. However, few research studies have tested alcohol marketing's effect on other alcohol-related outcomes. Consequently, the current study sought to identify associations between exposure to alcohol marketing and alcohol-related consequences in young adults. Methods: A secondary analysis of the 2020 Rhode Island Young Adult Survey was conducted. Participants were lifetime drinkers (n = 390) who were 18 to 25 years old and lived in Rhode Island for at least part of 2020. Past 30 day exposure to 6 forms of alcohol marketing was assessed. Alcohol consequences were measured using 8 items from the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire. Logistic regression models were adjusted for AUDIT score, age, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, employment status, and enrollment in school. Results: 92.3% of participants reported past 30 days exposure to any form of alcohol marketing. 43.6% of participants reported experiencing any alcohol-related consequence. Exposure to any form of alcohol marketing was positively associated with experiencing alcohol-related consequences (OR[95% CI] = 3.35 [1.19, 9.44]). After disaggregation by marketing type, only television exposure remained significantly associated with alcohol-related consequences (OR[95% CI] = 1.85 [1.06, 3.24]). Conclusions: Exposure to alcohol advertising on television may be positively associated with experiencing negative alcohol consequences in young adults. If confirmed, the findings may renew interest in strengthening alcohol marketing guidelines and regulations.

Awareness of alcohol marketing one year after initial implementation of Ireland's Public Health (Alcohol) Act and during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The Republic of Ireland is introducing new controls on alcohol marketing, starting in November 2019 with restrictions on some outdoor and cinema advertising, and a ban on public transport advertising. We examined changes in marketing awareness one year after initial implementation and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Repeat online cross-sectional surveys with adults in Ireland conducted October 2019 (n = 1,007) and October 2020 (n = 1,020). Participants self-reported past-month awareness of alcohol marketing and completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Concise (AUDIT-C). Current drinkers were categorised as those reporting heavy episodic drinking at least monthly and higher-risk drinkers (≥5 AUDIT-C).

RESULTS

In both waves, most participants recalled some marketing awareness (94.1% vs. 93.8%). For 9/13 activities measured in both waves, there were decreases in the proportion reporting any awareness and frequency of awareness, including for the newly restricted activities. For example, any awareness of public transport advertising decreased between waves (ORAdj = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.53-0.81). In both waves, higher past-month awareness was associated with at least monthly heavy episodic drinking and higher-risk consumption.

CONCLUSION

We recommend a precautionary interpretation. It is plausible that both Ireland's initial controls and COVID-19 restrictions contributed to decreases in awareness, but longer-term evaluation is required to determine relative contribution.

Are Australian regulatory codes adequate in scope to protect youth from alcohol advertising?

ISSUE ADDRESSED

Exposure to alcohol advertising has been found to be associated with more positive attitudes toward alcohol and heavier drinking among youth. Appropriate regulation of alcohol advertising is thus crucial for reducing use among members of this population group. To assist policy makers in their alcohol control efforts, this study explored the scope of Australian alcohol advertising codes and the extent to which they address issues relating to youth exposure.

METHODS

Two researchers assessed 628 unique alcohol advertisements against youth-related provisions of the Alcohol Advertising Review Board (AARB) Code and Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC). A third researcher resolved discrepancies. The ads sampled were those that had been the subject of formal complaints to the AARB.

RESULTS

Most (94%) ads were assessed as violating at least one of the AARB Code provisions relating to youth, while 36% were found to violate at least one of the ABAC youth provisions. The most frequently violated AARB Code provision related to placement, with 88% of ads located in places or broadcast at times where young people were likely to be exposed. The most frequently violated ABAC provision related to appeal to minors (33%).

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate that self-regulation is an ineffective means of protecting youth from alcohol advertising, with the ABAC failing to capture many ads featuring content that appeals to youth. SO WHAT?: Greater efforts are required to protect youth from alcohol advertising. Findings from the present study reinforce calls for mandatory, evidence-based regulation that is administered independently of the alcohol industry.

SUMMARY

An analysis of 628 unique alcohol advertisements found that the vast majority were in violation of the AARB Code's youth-related provisions whereas substantially fewer were in violation of the ABAC, supporting arguments that self-regulation is an ineffective means of protecting youth from alcohol advertising.