Whether operating happy hours or running two-for-one deals, pubs have plenty of responsibilities to bear in mind when it comes to marketing and promoting their drinks.
All agree that the situation has improved in recent years, with licensees balancing their profit-hunting with a sense of responsibility.
However, pubs still face tough penalties, usually in the form of licence reviews, if found to be promoting alcohol irresponsibly.
Interested parties are not short of places to turn for advice on how to avoid doing this.
Chief Inspector Adrian Studd
Association of Chief Police Officers' alcohol working party
"There is a clear link between alcohol promotions such as 'two-for-one' and 'drink as much as you can for a fixed price' and crime and disorder.
"On occasion it is necessary to resort to enforcement action. This is usually by way of a review of the licence and the imposition of conditions which restrict such things as trading hours, capacity and the ability to hold drinks promotions."
British Beer & Pub Association
The BBPA's guidance document on point-of-sale promotions says: "Well-managed promotions are a wholly legitimate way of maintaining and developing business. At the same time, [there are] promotions that should be avoided as they carry a high risk they will lead to alcohol misuse and anti-social behaviour."
The guidance, first released in 2005, is agreed by the BBPA's members - companies that own more than 32,000 of the UK's 59,000 pubs.
It goes on to say that "in simple terms, an irresponsible promotion is one that encourages or incites individuals to drink to excess, behave in an anti-social manner, or fuels drunkenness".
The BBPA gives a list of tips to help you run your promotions within the margins of responsible retailing:
- Ensure that promotions do not target underage drinkers, even unintentionally
- Only place advertising in media where most of the audience can reasonably be expected to be over 18
- Avoid using promotional images, symbols or cartoon characters that appeal primarily to under-18s
- Never condone or encourage excessive or irresponsible drinking or refer in any favourable manner to the effects of intoxication in any promotion
- Respect people who choose not to drink alcohol and offer them a reasonable choice of alternatives
- Focus on the broad product or promotional characteristics, giving factual information on the strength of a drink to help your customers make informed decisions. Alcoholic strength should never be the dominant theme of any advertising or promotion
- Promotions should not involve drinking games or speed incentives that require excessive quantities of alcohol to be consumed within a short time.
For more information, or a copy of the guidance document, see www.beerandpub.com or call 020 7627 9191.
Nigel Bailey
National Pubwatch
"Personal licence holders will find it very difficult to defend themselves at a review if they advertise an irresponsible drinks promotion that encourages people to get drunk, then serve them more drink while they are drunk, and those customers go on to cause problems.
"The number of premises that are closing for good each week is indicative of the general public's changing attitude and leisure habits.
"The behaviour at weekends of some young people in our town centres, encouraged by some irresponsible drinks promotions, will only accelerate that change."