The point here is that marketing can be very effective at driving consumer behaviour.  In Australia alcohol marketing is everywhere and I believe it plays a big part in how much we drink.  You see it on bus shelters, billboards, in magazines and on TV and it is often associated with major sporting events.  These adverts usually depict a responsible approach to alcohol consumption and they are not directed at children but the fact is, children still see them which can help reinforce from an early age that drinking is a part of our culture.

The World Health Organisation has recognized the need to regulate the advertising of alcohol.  Twenty years ago tobacco advertising was outlawed in Australia, I’m not saying we need to go to the extreme of outlawing alcohol advertising but we could definitely do with some tightening.  Most major supermarkets have their own liquor outlets right outside their stores (they can’t sell alcohol in supermarkets so they’ve done the next best thing).  Alcohol is therefore normalized with the consumer able to buy it as a part of their weekly grocery spend.

So next time you buy alcohol just take a few moments to think about why.  Did you make a conscious decision to buy alcohol before you left the house or did you pick it up as an afterthought once you finished your grocery shopping and saw the liquor store?  What were the driving factors behind you choosing one brand over another?  Did you make the decision or did the marketing department make it for you?