Digital marketing of alcohol: challenges and policy options for better health in the WHO European regions (2021)

The WHO European Region has the highest level of adult alcohol consumption of the six WHO regions. In 2016, the regional average for adults (aged 15 years and older) was 9.8 litres of pure alcohol per capita (comprising 8.0 litres of recorded alcohol and 1.8 litres of unrecorded alcohol). Restricting marketing of alcohol is a WHO recommended “Best Buy” – a cost-effective policy to reduce alcohol consumption and attributable burden. However, with smartphones and tablets becoming ubiquitous, young people and others are increasingly exposed to alcohol marketing in all of their social spaces.

This report draws on previous WHO reports on marketing and digital marketing and on consultations with Member States and civil society to stress the need for urgent action to protect public health and human rights. The report discusses the fast-changing digital ecosystem and the methods employed to invade online personal spaces with alcohol marketing. It provides a snapshot of regulatory contexts in a small selection of countries in the WHO European Region, as well as at international level. A range of policy options is suggested, with the overall conclusions emphasizing the urgent need for concerted action by countries and international institutions. A global and comprehensive approach is required, with the intention of protecting children and young people, people with (or at risk of) substance use disorders and the general population by removing marketing of alcohol altogether from digital spaces.