Alcohol ads shape how children think about drinking, Waikato study finds

University of Waikato Te Wānanga Waiora Division of Health, associate professor Dr Victoria Egli.

University of Waikato researchers say a new study shows alcohol advertising is shaping how New Zealand children think about drinking and could be pushing them towards alcohol earlier.

The research was undertaken by a team from the University of Waikato’s Te Wānanga Waiora Division of Health, led by associate professor Dr Victoria Egli.

Egli said young people were increasingly exposed to alcohol branding via billboards near schools, playgrounds and public transport, as well as via TV and phone screens and sporting venues, which was normalising alcohol for young people.

A 2023 Alcohol Healthwatch study, reviewed by her team as part of the new research, found three-quarters of alcohol advertisements near schools were placed in locations where children regularly passed through or gathered.

“Seeing alcohol advertising makes drinking seem like a normal and everyday part of life.

“With children back at school and spending more time on devices, exposure is happening more often and in more places.”

Egli said the current self-regulatory system, overseen by the Advertising Standards Authority and largely shaped by the alcohol industry, was not strong enough to protect young people.

With 2026 an election year, Egli said there was an opportunity for the Government to strengthen protections for children’s health.

She said protecting children from alcohol marketing should not fall solely on families.

“Parents already have a lot on their plates. It shouldn’t be their responsibility to shield children from pervasive alcohol marketing.

“The Government has the ability to put strong, enforceable rules in place that protect children and support families.”

Her recommendations as part of the research include banning alcohol advertising within 500m of schools, removing promotion from public services like transport, tightening digital marketing and sponsorship regulations, controlling alcohol-branded events, and introducing enforceable legislation.

Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee said there were already “strict rules” about alcohol advertising, including prohibitions on advertising that appeals to minors.

“Any proposal to expand regulation should be carefully assessed against clear evidence that it would make a meaningful difference.

“Research looking at exposure to advertising is not the same as evidence that advertising causes harmful drinking.

“International evidence on this question is mixed, and many factors influence whether young people drink, including family environment, peer behaviour, and education.

“Before rushing to introduce new bans on advertising, we should be confident that such restrictions would actually reduce harm.

“Overseas research suggests that broad advertising bans often have little measurable impact on overall consumption, while creating significant compliance and enforcement costs.”

The University of Waikato’s research project was funded by the Health Research Council as part of a wider programme examining how New Zealand children are exposed to marketing of unhealthy commodities, including alcohol, unhealthy food and drink, and vaping products.

Eglis’ team conducted a review of all available New Zealand studies examining how children aged 2 to 17 are exposed to alcohol marketing, and the research was published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Researchers searched eight major databases covering studies published up to January 2024.

Of more than 1000 articles screened, 22 met the criteria and were included in the analysis.

- Additional reporting by Danielle Zollickhofer

Tom Eley is a multimedia journalist at the Waikato Herald. Before he joined the Hamilton-based team, he worked for the Weekend Sun and Sunlive. He previously worked as a journalist in Canada for Black Press Media and won a fellowship with the Vancouver Sun.