Scotland considers banning logos on pint glasses

The Scottish Government is looking into the possibility of banning drinks companies putting their branding on merchandise and glassware in a bid to curb excessive drinking.

Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, said during a parliamentary meeting yesterday (12 September): “The earlier consultation on potential restrictions on alcohol advertising and marketing, which closed in 2023, made it clear that there is a wide range of views. I know that our doctors and nurses, who see harm to health from alcohol misuse every day, want action to be taken on alcohol marketing.”

“I have also listened to business and industry concerns. I take all those concerns seriously,” he claimed. “We remain committed to progressing that work to ensure that it will have the greatest impact, particularly on children and young people who are exposed to alcohol advertising and marketing, while striking the right balance when it comes to potential effects on business and industry. We need a route to achieve that.”

Gray then revealed that he would “commission Public Health Scotland to carry out a review of the evidence on the range of options to reduce exposure to alcohol marketing in order to help us in that aim”.

“That work is for the future,” he added.

If introduced, it could mean that featuring a brewery’s logo on a pint glass could be banned, and everything from t-shirts to umbrellas for pub beer gardens featuring drinks branding would not be permitted. In theory, this would reduce people’s exposure to alcohol brands.

Among those who were unimpressed by the Scottish Government’s plans was British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) CEO Emma McClarkin, who said that the move “surprised” her, “especially after the previous proposals were rightly withdrawn after the consultation analysis showed overwhelming opposition to every single measure.”

“This review must take into consideration the full range of evidence,” she continued, “including the potential economic impact of any additional regulations, the robust protections already in place, and the damage that could be done to a number of sectors, including sports organisations, cultural events, public transport, and to Brand Scotland in attracting inward investment.”

Death toll

The news comes just days after it was revealed that alcohol-related deaths in Scotland reached a 15 year high in 2023, with 1,277 deaths, an increase of one on 2022, and the continuation of the rise in the figure of deaths attribute to drinking since 2022.

This figure comes in spite of the Scottish Government’s policy of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP), which Gray referred to as “world-leading”. From this month, MUP has been increased from 50p to 65p, bringing a bottle of whisky that would have cost £14 up to £18.20.

When the increase was announced this spring, Hussan Lal, president of the Federation of Independent Retailers in Scotland, questioned MUP’s effectiveness: “We are all for saving lives, but MUP is not the be all and end all. It has not worked, and simply increasing the price of alcohol will not deter heavy drinkers.”

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