Alcohol industry unites in advert abuse clampdown

Leading producers from the beer, wine and spirits sectors have launched a comprehensive initiative to strengthen independent advertising self-regulatory schemes for alcohol beverage marketing by establishing a set of common, rigorous standards for their marketing communications throughout the European Union.

Under the Responsible Marketing Pact, AB InBev, Bacardi, Brown-Forman, Carlsberg, Diageo, Heineken, Pernod Ricard and SAB Miller, which together represent a majority of European alcohol advertising spend, will work with EU and national associations to agree and implement common standards for responsible advertising and marketing aimed at adults of legal purchase age, which will be subject to external scrutiny through independent monitoring and public reporting.

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Health and Consumers: Public health: Alcohol: Policy http://ec.europa.eu/health/alcohol/policy/index_en.htm

World Federation of Advertisers: Leading alcohol beverage producers agree to reinforce advertising self-regulation in Europe, April 2012 http://www.wfanet.org/en/pact

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