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The Salvation Army says there needs to be a major re-think of alcohol advertising and promotion, following the release of new Roy Morgan research.

The Salvation Army commissioned the research as part of Alcohol Awareness Week which is designed to stimulate discussion about the impact of alcohol use on society.

The new Roy Morgan research surveyed 1,001 people (aged 18 and over) across the nation and specifically reveals

• 72.9% say alcohol and sport have become too closely related in Australia today;
• 67.2% just like tobacco advertising was phased out, it is now time to start phasing out alcohol sponsorship of sport;
• 70.3 % say the amount of alcohol advertising and promotion young people under 25 see these days encourages them to drink more;
• 78% indicate concern that alcohol companies are using social media to advertise and promote their products to young people under 25;
• 72.1% disagree that the alcohol industry should be allowed to continue to regulate itself with regard to the advertising and promotion of alcohol;
• 60.1% of people aged 18-34 think that the amount of alcohol advertising and promotion young people under 25 see these days encourages them to drink more; and
• Over 70% of people aged 18-34 are concerned to some extent that alcohol companies are using social media to advertise and promote their products to young people under 25.

Based on the significant levels of community concern demonstrated by this new survey, The Salvation Army calls on the Federal Government to make it a high priority to review the advertising of alcohol and its impact on children and young people, and to put in place more effective measures to reduce the harm being caused.

The Salvation Army’s Gerard Byrne said, “We see – every day – the extensive damage that alcohol often causes to individuals and families. Alcohol Awareness Week is not an anti-drinking initiative. We want to see Australians empowered to make smart choices about alcohol use. We are deeply concerned that the high level of alcohol promotion and advertising has a negative impact on those choices.”

“Australia is a sporting nation. We see this every weekend when thousands of young Australians take part in sporting activities across many codes. The Salvation Army is calling for a re-think about where alcohol fits into this culture.”

Some of the policy directions that have already been discussed or implemented in other countries include the banning of alcohol sponsorship in sport and the banning or restricting of alcohol advertising during sporting telecasts.

A range of prominent health professionals and major organisations are backing The Salvation Army’s Alcohol Awareness Week 2013, including the National Alliance for Action on Alcohol; Curtin University’s Professor of Health Policy, Mike Daube and Dr. Kerry O’Brien. All are concerned about how alcohol is impacting on the Australian community.