Researchers and Advertising Standards Authority questioned on EU Alcohol Strategy

• Parliament TV: Watch the evidence session
• Inquiry: EU Alcohol Strategy
• EU Sub-Committee on Home Affairs, Health and Education

Witnesses

Wednesday 5 November, Committee Room 3, Palace of Westminster

At 10.30am

• Mr Guy Parker, Chief Executive, Advertising Standards Authority

At 11.15am

• Mr Chris Baker, Consultant, Bacon Strategy and Research
• Mr John Duffy, Statistics and Policy Consultant
• Professor Theresa Marteau, Director of the Behaviour and Health Research Unit, University of Cambridge
• Dr Eleanor Winpenny, Analyst, RAND Europe

Possible questions

Session 1

• If the EU Alcohol Strategy 2006 – 2012 had any effect on advertising regulation at either a national or European level;
• The relationship between alcohol marketing and levels of consumption;
• If self-regulation is equally suited to all forms of media;
• The actions being taken at EU level to prevent alcohol advertisements from targeting minors and young people, and how the oversight of alcohol advertising in other Member States compares with the ASA in the UK; and
• Whether the EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive is as up to date as it could be.

Session 2

• Did the EU Alcohol Strategy 2006 – 2012 achieve its aim of developing, supporting and maintaining a common evidence base?
• Is EU funding being used to its full advantage in this area?
• Are indicators a reliable tool to monitor the success of a new strategy?
• Is there sufficient evidence available regarding the relationship between overall levels of consumption and alcohol-related harm?
• What is your opinion of models offering predictions on drinking patterns such as the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model?
• Would minimum unit pricing be successful in addressing binge drinking, heavy drinking and total population consumption?
• There is conflicting evidence on the issue of alcohol advertising and its effects on levels of consumption, including among young people. In particular, the Advertising Association has strongly criticised a RAND report, claiming that its “findings on exposure are the polar opposite to any other data we have seen”. Considering that they are based on the same source data, how can these two analyses be reconciled?
• What is the evidence to suggest that labelling will have an effect on choice of beverage or overall levels of alcohol consumption? Are some forms of labelling more likely to be more effective than others?

Further Information

• About Parliament: Select Committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch Committees

 Image: iStockPhoto