Ex-FM calls for end to alcohol adverts in sport
- Published
Henry McLeish is calling for an end to alcohol sponsorship in Scottish football
Former First Minister Henry McLeish has urged the Scottish government to end alcohol advertising in sports.
New research found the country has more drink-related adverts in top level football than most European leagues.
Half of the country's premiership teams have at least one alcohol company as a main sponsor or partner.
The Scottish government confirmed a public consultation on possible restrictions to alcohol advertising and promotion will be launched soon.
Mr McLeish's intervention comes after the Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (Shaap) found only Belgium had a higher proportion of such adverts than Scotland.
The group, which represents health professionals in Scotland, has launched a new campaign, Calling Time, which advocates a ban on alcohol sponsorship to tackle the problem.
Mr McLeish, who carried out a major review of Scottish football in 2010, said the "very special and unique" commitment shown by supporters to their clubs was "being capitalised on by the alcohol industry".
The ex-professional footballer, who was first minister from 2000 to 2001, added: "We must find a better way to finance Scottish football, finding sponsors with values that align with sports and community, and that's why I support today's call for a ban on alcohol sponsorship of sports."
Change appears to be coming with regards to alcohol sponsorship in Scottish sport. Just what that change looks like, is the question.
Alcohol advertisement and sponsorship during certain sporting events was restricted in the Republic of Ireland in 2021. Other countries such as Finland, Estonia and Sweden have had certain restrictions in place for many years.
The Scottish government has promised a public consultation for some time and that appears to be getting closer, but their language around the issue, in recent times, has become noticeably stronger.
Last year, the minister for public health said there was a "casual link between exposure to alcohol marketing and children and young people starting to drink alcohol." Now the Scottish government says alcohol sponsorship in sport "encourages young people to drink alcohol and can have a detrimental impact on those in recovery from problem drinking".
The restrictions, when they come, won't take sport or the alcohol industry by surprise, though - both have been preparing for it for some time. In truth, main sponsorship focus switched some time ago. These days, for many sports, gambling is increasingly more prevalent - a sector with its own questions to answer.
Shaap chairman Dr Alastair MacGilchrist called on the Scottish government to protect public health and "break the bond between alcohol and sport" by banning such sponsorship.
He said the deals provided alcohol companies with a very appealing way of reaching a large audience.
Shaap found that this could influence how much and how often fans consume alcohol.
The research from the University of Stirling found that 6.4% of sponsorship in Scottish football was from the alcohol industry - higher than the 2.6% average across all 10 countries investigated.
Alcohol marketing and sport sponsorship is currently self-regulated in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
Shaap said countries with more advertising restrictions have comparatively less alcohol sponsorship in their top clubs.
'Completely unacceptable'
Tom Bennett, from the Scottish Recovery Consortium, said self-regulation was not working.
He added: "Sponsorship is triggering and makes us drink - and it's extremely effective - that's why the industry invest so much money in it.
"Sports sponsorship sends completely the wrong message, especially to our children, that healthy activity is associated with alcohol.
"It's completely unacceptable that people are bombarded with alcohol sponsorship when attending their favourite sports events."
A Scottish government spokesman said: "We would encourage sporting organisations to diversify sponsorship away from the alcohol industry because it encourages young people to drink alcohol and can have a detrimental impact on those in recovery from problem drinking.
"We will shortly issue a public consultation setting out potential restrictions on alcohol advertising and promotion in Scotland."
Matt Lambert from Portman Group, the alcohol social responsibility body and marketing regulator, said: "SHAAP's report shows that out of the 7,807 main sponsors identified, only 6.4% are alcohol-related in Scotland and 5.5% in England.
"The Portman Group has regulated alcohol marketing since 2003. We have a code that ensures children are protected from alcohol marketing at sports, music and cultural events and that marketing is appropriate.
"This is an approach that we know works, with many producers using their brands to showcase responsibility messages at major events."