Scottish Gin Society removes Facebook posts ruled to "encourage excessive drinking"
Last updated 5th Sep 2018
The Scottish Gin Society's removed posts from its Facebook page - after the Advertising watchdog ruled they encouraged excessive drinking and made misleading nutritional claims about the tipple.
A spokesman for the Scottish Gin Society said: “This is the most po-faced, fun-free, nanny state judgement imaginable."
Aberdeenshire's Drug and Alcohol Partnership raised concerns about the marketing with the Advertising Standards Authority.
The complaints were upheld, with the Scottish Gin Society saying it didn't consider the posts to be advertising, although it has deleted the statements.
Wayne Gault, Lead Officer for the Aberdeenshire Alcohol and Drugs Partnership said:
“I am absolutely delighted on behalf of the Aberdeenshire Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, by the findings of the ASA. The Drinks Industry must be challenged for the way in which it markets its products. We have seen a growing trend in the use of ‘fun’ social media posts as a way to market alcohol as a harmless trivial product that can be safely consumed to excess and in this finding the ASA lays that notion to rest.
“The domestic drinks industry relies on revenue generated by people drinking more than the government’s 14 unit per week low-risk guidelines for an estimated 68% of its annual revenue. If everyone were to moderately consume alcohol within 14 units per week, the industry would lose £13bn a year. It’s therefore unsurprising that that the industry uses every means available to undermine the low-risk consumption guidelines that our doctors promote to minimise the terrible toll of alcohol related ill-health and death across Scotland and the rest of the UK.
“We are not killjoys or humourless however we see the damage that an unhealthy relationship with alcohol does to individuals, families and communities on a daily basis. We hope that this ruling will help us in the task of changing our national relationship with alcohol.”
The Scottish Gin Society responded by saying: “The ASA freely admits in its judgement that these posts were ‘light-hearted and humorous’ and they aren’t even adverts – nor did we write them. They are re-posts of funny memes to members by a not-for-profit organisation so shouldn’t fall under the ASA’s remit.
“We completely support responsible drinking but if this is justice, I am a Long Island Iced Tea!
“Gin is a huge and booming Scottish success story, with exports worth about £1/2 billion. We have 500 people celebrating the Scottish Gin Awards later this month and we’ll be nominating the ASA for the ‘Humour Bypass Award’.”
The Advertising Standards Authority told The Scottish Gin Society to ensure that future ads they did not encourage the excessive consumption of alcohol, not to make comparative nutrition claims or health claims in relation to alcohol, and not to imply that alcohol had therapeutic qualities or suggest that it could enhance physical capabilities. The group was also ordered not to imply that alcohol could enhance attractiveness or lead to sexual success.