This is not what they intended

The study found that young drinkers understand standard drink labelling but use the information to choose stronger drinks to increase or maximise their alcohol consumption. Referring to products some call ‘malternatives’, Australian Federal health minister Nicola Roxon said that she would crack down on manufacturers producing beers that tasted like alcopops to avoid a higher alcohol excise.

Treasury, health and taxation authorities all agree that such products undermine the Federal Government’s binge drinking policy. Minister Roxon maintained that the Government was determined to pass its alcopops legislation, in spite of prolonged opposition by some key Senators.

Also at this conference, a spokesman for the Australian Drug Foundation suggested that alcohol manufacturers were on the verge of losing the right to advertise their products, thanks to sliding opinions of how they do business. This will please those who consider that all sectors of the alcoholic beverage industries should be treated as the tobacco industry has been in recent decades.

A ‘ban alcohol’ advertising movement seems to be gaining momentum in some quarters.