Alcohol Marketing Regulations in Sweden

1
Alcohol Marketing Regulations in Sweden

• Restrictive national rules
• challenged by EU trade treaty

Overview July 2009 By Avalon de
Bruijn Adebruijn_at_stap.nl
2
Volume restrictions prior to 2003

• Ban alcohol ads on national TV (Alcohol Act)
• Ban on satellite TV (Radio and Television Act)
• Ban alcohol ads on Radio (Alcohol Act)
• Ban alcohol ads on Magazines/Periodicals (Alcohol
  Act)
• No outdoor advertising for stronger beer, wine
  and spirits in waiting halls, public
  transportation and sport events (self-regulation)
• No advertising for stronger beer, wine and
  spirits in cinemas or theatres (self-regulation)
• No specific rules with respect to internet
  (self-regulation)
• prohibited sales promotion measures
• i) the handing out of product samples or tasting
  
• ii) the handing out of free gifts (e.g. trays,
  glasses, etc)
• iii) competitions with prizes and discount
  coupons
• iv) combination offers

3
Content restrictions prior to 2003

• An image must not consist of anything other than
  especially moderate reproduction
• i) of the product or its raw ingredients
• ii) of an individual bottle or can
• iii) the trademark or other equivalent
  distinctive mark for
• the product
• iv) the image must also be neutral and not
  contain any
• representative elements, decoration or other
  
• elements which may create tangible
  associations.

4
Sweden and pressure of Europe prior to 2003
In theory Ban on alcohol ads on national AND
on satellite TV In practice Satellite
channels broadcasted from abroad (Kanal 5, TV3,
MTV) make use of looser British rules
Source MMS 2004
5
Sweden and pressure of Europe in 2003

• Swedish court overrules Swedish ban on alcohol
  ads in magazines
• - Obstacle to the free movement of services
  within the EU
• - Damage to trade was not in proportion with the
  protecting of public health (other efficient
  measures already taken high alcohol taxes, state
  retail monopoly)
• - Court agreed that Swedish consumers already
  see alcohol ads in foreign magazines, TV channels
  and on the Internet.

6

• Effect of Decision Court
• Alcohol Ads in Newspapers/Magazines is allowed
• Uncertainty about what is permitted in other
  media (see table)
• Judgment can be used to attack other national
  bans
• The Swedish government participated on this
  development by revising the Alcohol Act in 2005.

Source MMS 2004
7
Revision Alcohol Act in January 2005

• Prohibition of Advertising alcoholic beverages
  gt15 VOL (already in force in 2003)
• People are not allowed to appear in ads
• Warning texts in ads are required
• Ads cannot target people under the age of 25.

8
Future developments

• From February 2008 Swedish rules more in line
  with EU standards Swedish TV channel TV4 will be
  allowed to show as many commercials as satellite
  competitors (TV3/Kanal5)
• More difficult to enforce
• Swedish rules restricting
• alcohol ads.