A new ad campaign called "You Haven’t Been Drinking Alone" has been accused of using inaccurate data to shame parents.
The ad shows children mimicking the drinking behaviour of the adults around them in a Zoom-style format.
“I’ve learnt to be a glass-half-full kind of girl,” says one.
“Just sucking the guts out of a few cold ones,” says another. “It’s gotta be 12 o’clock somewhere, right?”
The ad campaign was created following a poll conducted by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation of more than 1000 Australian parents finding that one in four parents reported an increased intake of alcohol during COVID-19.
However, Andrew Wilsmore (above), Chief Executive Officer, Alcohol Beverages Australia, said the ad campaign isn't an accurate representation of drinking habits during COVID-19.
Beer, wine and spirit producers have reported April as their worst trading month on record. This is supported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ ‘Household Impacts of COVID-19 Survey’ which reveals 9.5% of Australians are drinking less, 47.1% are drinking the same amount, 14.4% are drinking more, and 28.9% continued to abstain.
Of those that choose to drink, independent research has shown they are drinking at moderate levels of around eight standard drinks a week – well within official advice.
"Having a drink in Australia is a social activity. Watching the footy with mates, a few drinks after work at the pub or a family barbecue on the weekend," Wilsmore said.
"The shutdown ended all of that. The fact Australians have tried to replace just a few of these lost moments with a drink with friends over Zoom isn’t something that needs demonising, especially when per capita consumption is at 50-year lows, underage drinking is at its lowest point on record, and our youngest generation is drinking more responsibly than any before them."
Watch the ad below:
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