Images of farmers in barley fields and orchards will be “banned” from alcohol adverts under proposed amendments to the controversial Public Health Alcohol Bill, a drinks industry lobby group has warned.
The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI) said the proposed legislation, which will return to the Seanad for debate next week after being held up for a year, may pose a “significant threat” to the drinks industry, and in turn the agricultural sector.
In its submission to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine on the diversification of the tillage sector in Ireland, representatives of the ABFI warned that growth in the drinks industry “should not be taken for granted”.
Patricia Callan, director of ABFI said: “Growth should not be taken for granted. The proposals contained in the government’s Public Health Alcohol Bill will undermine competition, innovation and investment in the Irish drinks industry.
“The bill will also greatly limit the capacity of the industry to deliver on the government’s FoodWise 2025 targets which otherwise we would greatly exceed.
“One of the biggest concerns for the industry is that the bill will make Ireland one of the most restrictive countries in the world for the marketing of alcohol products.
In fact, the very farmers who supply the industry will be banned from ads. For example, images of farmers in barley fields and orchards will be prohibited.
The ABFI said: “There is scope for reasonable amendments on advertising and labelling which would protect competition, innovation and investment in the industry support the ongoing delivery of FoodWise 2025; and in turn sustain the capacity of Irish breweries and distilleries to increase their purchases of Irish grain and malt.”
The Irish whiskey and spirits sector has seen a resurgence, with global sales of Ireland’s two main spirits – Irish whiskey and Irish cream liquor- totalling nearly 16 million cases in 2016 and were worth nearly €4 billion in sales value.