UK Government kills ad spend on alcohol

By: Chris Mercer - 7 December 2011 15:28

The UK Government's Department of Health ceased all funding for advertising on responsible drinking in its last fiscal year, new figures show.

Figures revealed by Simon Burns MP in Parliament yesterday (6 December) show that there was no public health advertising around alcohol in the fiscal year to 5 April 2011. Spending fell to zero from GBP3.25m in the previous year.

Instead, ministers have encouraged industry itself to make up the shortfall, via drinks firms' funding of the Drinkaware Trust and also via the Responsibility Deal initiative, introduced earlier this year.