Madam, - Drs Bobby Smith and Michael Loftus (March 10th) are critical of the approach of the drinks industry to advertising.
They ignore the very substantial work which the industry has done in recent years to try to reduce the exposure of young people to alcohol advertising and our support for the formulation of codes of practice. These closely control how, for example, alcohol advertisements can be made, what they may or may not feature and where they may be placed. These codes cover broadcast, print and outdoor advertising.
They also control the management of sponsorships by alcohol-related companies. The establishment of Central Copy Clearance Ireland in 2003, which vets all alcohol advertising before publication, has also had a very positive impact on advertising standards, with a major reduction in both the number of complaints made and complaints upheld.
It should be noted that these new codes are not just drinks industry codes; they have been adopted for all alcohol products by the advertising sector and by the broadcast, outdoor and cinema media owners.
The new voluntary codes on advertising to reduce the exposure of young people to advertising will be monitored by a government-appointed monitoring body chaired by Peter Cassells, who will report to the Minister for Health on compliance with the codes. The use of audience profiling is also regarded as international best practice and superior to "watersheds", as evidence shows a 9pm cut-off is no longer an effective barrier to under-age TV viewing.
In an era of international media ownership and satellite and digital broadcasting, we believe this pro-active, self-regulatory approach will prove more effective than narrow regulation within a defined geography.Clearly the codes will need to evolve over time in response to changing media and circumstances and the drinks industry is committed to this process.
Despite sweeping generalisations in media portrayals, the drinks industry in Ireland is committed to reducing alcohol misuse and to working in partnership with other stakeholders to achieve this objective. The strategic interest of the wider drinks industry lies in a sustainable, responsible and balanced market for its products.
We will continue to engage with and work with all interested parties to address the misuse of alcohol, promote responsible and informed drinking and ensure that alcohol is promoted only in appropriate ways. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL PATTEN, Chairman, Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, Anglesea Road, Dublin 4.