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- Food and not: in the Russian Federation, it was proposed to ban hidden advertising of alcohol in products
Food and not: in the Russian Federation, it was proposed to ban hidden advertising of alcohol in products
The State Duma wants to ban hidden advertising of alcohol, the use of which is promoted to the public through food. We are talking, for example, about chips with sparkling wine, sausages with Jack Daniel's whiskey, lollipops with wine flavor, etc. Public figures and experts disagreed. The former believe that strict legislation regarding alcohol advertising should not be relaxed for products with its mention in the name. But then it is necessary to ban all alcohol, experts say. Business representatives say that large and conscientious companies do not use such marketing techniques.
What products do they want to ban
In Russia, they want to ban hidden advertising of alcohol, the use of which is promoted to the public through food. We are talking, in particular, about sparkling chips, sausages with Jack Daniel's whiskey, wine-flavored lollipops and other products that often do not have the 18+ mark. Anatoly Vyborny, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Security from the United Russia faction, made such a request to the Prosecutor General's Office and the Federal Antimonopoly Service.
— I received an appeal from citizens who drew attention to the fact that our offline stores and the Internet began to sell products containing hidden alcohol advertising. Sausages with the taste of famous whiskey, chips with the taste of champagne, caramel with the taste of red wine and many other products," the deputy explained to Izvestia.
In his opinion, such products have a detrimental effect on adults, reminding them once again about alcohol, but these products also affect children, who, unlike alcohol, can freely buy it, since there are no age restrictions on these products.
— The most dangerous thing is that such hidden advertising is linked to ordinary food. In this regard, I have prepared an appeal to the Federal Antimonopoly Service and the Prosecutor General's Office with a request to conduct an inspection and take measures to ban the sale of such products if violations are found," the deputy explained.
Izvestia sent requests to the Prosecutor General's Office and the Federal Antimonopoly Service with a request to comment on the possibility of taking action. The editorial board also sent inquiries to representatives of the business that produces such products with a request to evaluate the initiative.
Is it really possible to ban products with alcohol
The sale of alcohol products can already be considered a violation of the requirements of current legislation when it comes to minors, Pavel Shapkin, head of the National Alcohol Policy Development Center, told Izvestia.
According to him, in fact, by establishing such names, manufacturers are often jokingly "playing a game of alcohol consumption." For example, in such products as alcoholic beverages, Whiskey Cola soda, Sparkling chips, which depict a glass of champagne.
Igor Kosarev, Vice President of the Russian Standard Corporation and president of the Union of Alcohol Producers, said that manufacturers who are part of the association do not use such methods of advertising their products.
— It is difficult for me to assess this initiative. But I am sure that big business will not promote its products on the market in this way," he told Izvestia.
Guerrilla marketing has always existed in the alcohol market, Maxim Chernihiv, general director of the Alcohol Market Professionals Club, explained to Izvestia.
— I can give you many examples when manufacturers of strong alcohol hid behind advertisements for water, which was produced in a package and a bottle of a similar color, — he reminded.
According to him, businesses are forced to use such technologies by strict restrictions in the law on alcohol advertising.
— Personally, I do not understand how manufacturers can legally inform consumers about the properties of their products today. This situation leads to the emergence of a wide range of applications of such marketing technologies, and in fact, to the appearance of illegal alcoholic beverages on the market," explained Maxim Chernihiv.
He believes that businesses will continue to use them until the government makes concessions.
— There are restrictions in the field of alcohol and tobacco products that prohibit various ways of promotion, including through umbrella brands. Therefore, the concerns of the State Duma deputies are justified, since being prohibited for regular advertising, such alcoholic products are being promoted by illegal methods," explained Oleg Pavlov, head of the Public Council at Rospotrebnadzor.
Izvestia sent a request to the Union of Producers of Cognac, Alcohol and Alcoholic Beverages.
Such goods as, for example, sweets with vodka or cognac may fall into the hands of minors, Larisa Gabdulkhakova, a nutritionist and nutritionist, told Izvestia.
— That is, from an early age, the future generation is "hooked" on alcohol, which not only affects the brain (causes early encephalopathy, it leads to the inability to assimilate the school curriculum), but also to the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, - the expert explained.
According to her, the availability of a toxic substance under the guise of sweets and other sweets causes a person to have a false idea that alcohol is good, as it causes a feeling of euphoria and pleasure. However, this is how addiction to such products imperceptibly arises, and then to alcohol as a more powerful source of intoxication, the expert believes.
On the contrary, Georgy Ostapkovich, scientific director of the HSE Center for Market Research, called the initiative questionable.
— Then it is necessary to ban all alcohol in retail trade, because, for example, grams of these drinks get into candies, — the expert noted.
According to him, among the part of the population that likes a particular type of alcohol, a ban on products with alcohol can cause a negative reaction. Such people will simply buy cognac, liqueur or vodka and sweets separately, the expert noted.
In general, he called it a common practice for businesses to use such marketing moves to expand their product range and attract consumer attention.
Nikolai Arefyev, a representative of the Communist Party faction, first deputy chairman of the Committee on Economic policy, believes that the initiative is difficult to support.
— Alcohol in doses contained in such products is harmless, — the parliamentarian claims.
According to him, if there is a drop of alcohol in the candy, it will not affect the health of children, and an adult will not get drunk if he eats the box. Therefore, such measures are superfluous, he stressed.
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