Primary Children Familiar with Beer Brands

Primary Children Familiar with Beer Brands: According to new education research carried out on behalf of Alcohol Concern, young children are more familiar with brands such as Fosters than they are of the biscuit brand McVitie’s, McCoy’s crisps or the ice cream producers Ben and Jerry’s.

Primary Children Familiar with Beer Brands

Primary Children Familiar with Beer Brands Says Research, As Guinness Sponsors Six Nations

The research, carried out with 837 children in primary schools across England and Scotland, found that many children recognised beer brands, particularly those associated with large-scale sporting events.

The research findings suggested that more than 3 in 4 primary school children recognised characters from commercial television adverts put out by Fosters, compared to just over half who recognised ‘Bobby the Dog’ from Coca-Cola’s advertising.

Other findings suggest that half of children associated their favourite football or other sports team with beer brands, whilst those who were active on social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter were more likely to have tried alcohol. Half of children associated Carlsberg with the England national football team, whilst a similar proportion of those in Scotland linked Carling with their own national team.

The Portman Group, the industry body for the UK drinks industry, stated that the research was ‘weak and misleading’ and that Alcohol Concern ‘choose to ignore official Government statistics’ which suggest underage drinking has been falling for the last ten years. The Portman Group spokesman also noted that alcohol advertising in the UK was already heavily regulated, and that brands were required to promote responsible drinking within their advertising, as well as citing the case of France, where a ban on alcohol marketing and sponsorship has led to ‘two decades of increasingly harmful drinking among children and teenagers.’

The research has been published only a few days before the Six Nations, one of Rugby Union’s biggest sporting events, is set to take place – with Wales vs. England kicking off at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Friday evening. The Six Nations’ website lists Guinness as the ‘Official Beer of the RBS 6 Nations’ – although it should be noted that the page does also promote responsible drinking.


 

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