Alcoholic Drinks: Marketing

Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered at on 18 February 2026.

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Photo of Grahame Morris Grahame Morris Labour, Easington

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the report by the Institute of Alcohol Studies entitled Now You See It, Now You Don't, published on 29 January 2026.

Photo of Ashley Dalton Ashley Dalton The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care

The Government recognises the harms associated with alcohol consumption and has taken crucial steps in the 10-Year Health Plan to support people to make healthier choices. There is a balance to be struck, and the Government continues to consider carefully what other measures might be needed to turn the tide on alcohol harms, while continuing to support economic growth.

Currently, alcohol advertisements follow voluntary codes, regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ASA’s Advertising Codes contain specific rules about how alcohol can be advertised, as they recognise the social imperative of ensuring that alcohol advertising is responsible.

The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, as the lead Government department responsible for advertising, to consider if additional statutory restrictions on marketing and advertising are needed to reduce alcohol related harms.

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