TRANSCRIPT
Zero-alcohol beverages are meant to be used as a solution for adults who suffer from addictions or for people who need a non-harmful alternative for their social outings.
But it seems as though they could be having another, more dangerous and insidious, effect.
A survey by the Cancer Council shows 53 per cent of teenage participants aged 15 to 17 found zero-alcohol drinks "appealing".
Based on the survey, over one third, or 37 per cent, of them have already consumed a zero-alcohol drink.
Dr Leon Booth, research fellow at the George Institute for Global Health and lead researcher of the study, says these results are troubling.
"Over 80 per cent recalled seeing these products for sale and a very similar percentage recalled seeing zero alcohol adverts. So they are seeing these products, they are seeing the marketing and we know from research, from decades of alcohol research that it's unlikely that these are going to be positive things and the vast likelihood is it's going to further normal alcohol use, further reinforce this normalisation of alcohol in social settings and lead to worse alcohol-related outcomes for young people."
The research was conducted in two parts, with one based on focus discussions with groups of teens aged 15 to 17, and the other taking data from members of the same age group throughout the country.
The survey team claims the marketing for zero-alcohol beverages is targeted at young people in an effort to get them more accustomed to the taste of alcoholic drinks, and make the transition to drinking alcohol easier once they reach adulthood.
Julia Stafford, Deputy Chair of Cancer Council’s Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical Activity Committee, says it can be difficult to tell the difference between non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages of the same brand.
"Well, many of the zero-alcohol products available in Australia are manufactured by large alcohol companies and the products are designed to look and taste identical to their alcoholic counterparts."
Ms Stafford says the exposure to these types of beverages could function as advertising for the full-strength products.
"What we're concerned about and what our research seems to be suggesting is that young people are being heavily exposed to zero-alcohol products - for example through advertising, TV and social media - and seeing the products in supermarkets and convenience stores. And so they're being exposed to even more alcohol brand marketing than they were before. And we know there's so much research that shows that the more that young people are exposed to alcohol marketing, the greater the likelihood that they're going to start drinking alcohol earlier, or to drink at higher levels if they already use alcohol."
Social media platforms also appear to be playing a role in introducing more young people to these types of beverages.
38 per cent of participants in the Cancer Council's survey say they recall seeing advertisements for zero-alcohol products on social media, a popular destination for members of younger demographics.
Dr Booth says it's quite simple to filter younger people out so they don't see the ads.
"When we advertise for research on social media platforms, it's reasonably simple to target that research and select the age groups that you want to promote to. So we can say we only want people aged over 65 to see it. So it seems like it would be very feasible for alcohol marketers to select that they don't want underage people to be seeing these advertisements. It should only be shown to older adults."
But the alcohol industry has criticised the findings of the survey.
Alcoholic Beverages Australia (ABA) is the main group representing alcoholic beverage manufacturers.
In a written statement to SBS, Alistair Coe, the Executive Director of ABA, points to dropping rates of underage drinking.
Government data shows alcohol consumption rates have more than halved in 14 to 17 year-olds within the last couple of decades, falling from 69 to 31 per cent.
Mr Coe also says zero-alcohol beverages are held to the same advertising standards as their alcoholic counterparts to protect young adults.
But the creators of the report have called on federal, state and territory governments to intervene before these figures begin to change.
"There are so many channels through which young people are currently exposed to alcohol and alcohol product marketing, and regulators at state, territory and federal level can all play a key role in addressing this. And we request that they urgently look at how they can better put the health of young Australians ahead of alcohol industry profits."
Experts say there are simple solutions to ensure young people do not come in contact with these types of products.
Placing zero-alcohol beverages in a different section of supermarkets or supplying warnings on their labels are just two of a range of measures that have been recommended.
Dr Booth says parents also have a role to play.
"Young people have been drinking less and less over the last decade or so. We don't want to reverse that trend. It's great that young people are increasingly deciding 'you know what? I don't actually need to drink alcohol' and making these healthier decisions. And zero-alcohol just seems like a potentially dangerous way to reverse that trend. So, again, reinforce the idea to parents that it's probably wise to not provide these products to your children."
