Balance warns about the “kiddification” of alcohol this summer
Balance is warning about the “kiddification” of alcohol – with a growing trend of brightly packaged pre-mixed drinks amid concerns they appeal to children and young people and could be fuelling under-age drinking.
It comes also as a number of local authorities and police forces in the region are also taking action to curb alcohol-fuelled drinking sessions in beaches and open areas in the region.
The products, sold in colourful containers and promoted heavily at the front of shops and across social media platforms including TikTok and Instagram, have been criticised by health experts, educators, and parents who say their branding and design resemble soft drinks, sweets or novelty products aimed at teens.
One brand Buzz Ballz which has attracted scrutiny, is being promoted at the front of shops and supermarkets. The company behind it has been reported as launching a 99p using ice cream vans to promote across university campuses, and has now also launched a World-Cup themed, light-up globe to hold drinks.
Susan Taylor, Head of Alcohol Policy for Fresh and Balance, said: “Alcohol is increasingly designed and marketed in ways that are highly appealing to children, teenagers and young people.
“Promoting these in a way which reminds people of toys, sweets, ice lollies or soft drinks is unacceptable. The more alcohol is promoted as fun, harmless and fashionable, the greater the risk that underage drinking becomes normalised.
“At a time when police and local authorities around the country are increasingly aware of the role alcohol plays in social problems, this is an issue that needs regulation in how alcohol is priced, marketed and promoted.”
She added: “The alcohol industry is using cutting-edge design to appeal to the youth market and to promote alcohol sales outside of licenced premises. It is also boasting that sales to Generation Z are rising – they are working hard to ensure young people drink enough to keep profits high.
“Another worry is that parents themselves see these as a way of introducing alcohol to children. Evidence shows that opening the door to alcohol can put their safety at risk and lead to more regular drinking, which can harm young bodies and minds.
“At a time when there is high concern from parents around vaping, we need to remember that alcohol is a product that puts safety at risk and causes seven types of cancer.”
Karen Slater, a mum from Ponteland, who has lived experience of alcohol dependency, says: “Products like these are unashamedly aimed at young people and the reality is that a lot of underage teenagers will see the colours and the pricing and want to try them. The 99p price shocks me to the core.
“I remember my road to alcohol dependency, which started out drinking as a teenager – this was exactly the sort of product we would have been tempted by. These products portray a life of fun, which is very different from the reality of the harm caused by alcohol.”
The Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People in England survey of pupils in secondary school pupils in England found that among students who obtained alcohol, they were most likely to have been given it by parents (61%), given it by friends, or to take it from home with permission (both 37%).
Alcohol can be harmful for adults, but the risks are also significant for children with minds and bodies that are still developing. It can:
- Open the door to more regular drinking and make children more likely to become heavy drinkers as adults. Children who start drinking alcohol at an early age are more likely to develop alcohol problems in adolescence and adulthood.
- Lead to physical and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression
- Affect performance at school and college
- Expose children to risks such as accidents and other risky behaviours
Jem Roberts, head of external affairs at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, said: “We know two of the biggest drivers of alcohol harm are cheap prices and heavy marketing. And while youth drinking has seen overall declines, the UK still has some of the highest levels of heavy episodic drinking among young people in Europe, so this is not a problem we’ve solved.
“Alcohol rules – which the industry largely regulates itself – say products shouldn’t particularly appeal to children, yet examples like this keep appearing. That alone shows how absurd it is to trust the alcohol industry to police itself. “