Zero alcohol products: a Trojan Horse for alcohol marketing?

This article was originally published by Melissa Sweet, Croakey Health Media on 05 March. Licensed by Copyright Agency. Do not copy this work without permission.

The increasing availability in supermarkets of zero alcohol products that have some alcohol branding is a form of “stealth marketing”, and policy responses should address the potential risks to children and young people, according to new research.

The study, ‘Trends in the range of zero alcohol products available in supermarkets and alcohol stores in Australia’, was published this week in Drug and Alcohol Review.

Two of the researchers involved, Asad Yusoff and Professor Simone Pettigrew from the George Institute for Global Health, write below that action is urgently needed to regulate advertising of zero alcohol products, as well as restrictions on placement in-store, and laws to ensure they are labelled differently from their parent brands.

Asad Yusoff and Simone Pettigrew write:

Zero alcohol products are a rapidly growing market segment. Driven by growing interest in wellbeing and health consciousness, these products have been framed by the alcohol industry as a tool for harm-reduction.

There are, however, hidden downsides to zero-alcohol products, that if left unaddressed may act to promote, rather than reduce, alcohol consumption, especially among young people.

Our recent research analysing the prevalence of zero alcohol products in supermarkets and alcohol stores highlights how the market is becoming increasingly dominated by alcohol brands.

We show that the alcohol industry may be using zero alcohol products to promote their brands in supermarkets, a space previously protected from alcohol advertising. In doing so, the industry may be taking advantage of younger people and other vulnerable groups.

Zero alcohol products mimic both the flavour and appearance of alcoholic drinks but contain less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume.

As alcohol is linked to more than 200 health conditions, including seven different types of cancer, consumers can benefit from these products if they are used as a replacement for alcohol.

As zero alcohol products are a relatively new product segment, there is limited evidence on whether they are being used as alcohol substitutes rather than in addition to usual drinking.

However, there is research to indicate some heavier drinkers are using these products to help decrease their alcohol intake. Zero alcohol products have also been shown to be useful for individuals who cannot drink – designated drivers, those with health conditions, or for religious reasons to feel included in social settings and celebrations.

This could be particularly beneficial in countries such as Australia, where alcohol use is normalised, resulting in the pressure to drink.

If zero alcohol products are used exclusively in replacement of alcohol for adults, they may work as an effective public health measure.

However, there are downsides to the marketing of zero alcohol products that may offset the benefits of reduced alcohol use among adults.

Regulatory gap

Zero alcohol products can be placed into one of two categories, those with a parent alcohol company and those without.

Parent-branded products often use near identical packaging and related marketing material, making them difficult to distinguish from their alcohol product counterparts. This is known as alibi marketing – essentially using a look-alike product to advertise in places the real thing isn’t allowed to be promoted.

Public health groups are concerned about this marketing trick as it allows alcohol companies to promote their brands in places and to groups who previously were protected from such advertising.

In Australia, alcohol is sold in dedicated liquor stores and cannot legally be sold in supermarkets (with some exceptions).

This has meant that supermarkets – where young people frequently shop – have remained free from alcohol advertising. This restriction matters because exposure to alcohol advertising at a younger age is associated with early initiation and heavier drinking later in life.

Zero alcohol products, however, due to containing less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume, do not have to abide by the same regulations. This means that they can appear in supermarkets alongside soft drinks, juices and other beverages.

There are also no restrictions on whether they can be sold to minors, although some retailers have imposed voluntary restrictions on those under the age of 18.

This regulatory gap means that alcohol companies – through zero alcohol products – can now get their branding in front of a previously untapped audience: young people.

As one industry analyst noted: “It’s halo branding through the back door…these beverage brands encounter fewer headaches about compliance, which leads to broader creative freedom and more opportunities to craft campaigns which will reach a larger audience.”