Alcohol Action Ireland, the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, today (Friday, 4th February) on the eve of an exciting new Six Nations Championship has called on the alcohol producers to obey the spirit, as well as the letter, of Ireland’s laws governing alcohol advertising and promotion on the sports area.
The Public Health Alcohol Act, 2018, Section 15, which has been operational since 12th November, 2021, restricts during a sports event the advertisement, or cause to be advertised, an alcohol product in or on a sports area, this being defined as where participants participate in sporting activities, or competitors compete in sporting competitions.
The ongoing European Rugby Champions Cup has demonstrated that the title sponsor, in that incidence, has, in our view, breached both the spirit, and the letter, of the restrictions.
Alcohol Action, having sought legal advice, have lodged a formal complaint with the authorised officers under the Act, the HSE Environmental Health Services, about alcohol advertising evident during the recent round of European Rugby Champions Cup games played in Ireland.
The title sponsor of the Six Nations championship, getting underway this weekend, is a leading alcohol brand and we hope that the multinational alcohol producer who owns that brand will step up to fully comply with the measures enacted in Ireland’s public health alcohol legislation, and cooperate with national policy that seeks to reduce children’s exposure to alcohol marketing.
ENDS
