Portman Group
Encyclopedia
The Portman Group is a trade group composed of alcoholic beverage
producers and brewers in the UK
.
-related issues, and its members account for the majority of alcohol products sold in the UK. It takes its name from the Portman Square, London
, head office of Guinness
, one of its co-founders.
The Code applies to all pre-packaged alcoholic drinks and covers the drink's naming, packaging, point-of-sale advertising, brand websites, sponsorship, branded merchandise, advertorials, press releases and sampling.
The Code has an open and accessible complaints system. Complaints under the Code are ruled on by an Independent Complaints Panel.
These campaigns have been strongly criticsed by, amongst others, Professor Ian Gilmore
of Royal College of Physicians
and Professor Martin Plant of the University of the West of England
, both noted alcohol harm experts, as not only inneffective but even favourable to the alcohol industry.
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
producers and brewers in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
History
It was set up in 1989 as part of a campaign to raise awareness of alcoholAlcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
-related issues, and its members account for the majority of alcohol products sold in the UK. It takes its name from the Portman Square, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, head office of Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
, one of its co-founders.
Drinkaware Trust
The Portman Group established the Drinkaware website in 2004 and went on to establish the Drinkaware Trust in 2006. The Drinkaware Trust is now an independent trust which runs all alcohol education campaigns, that had been previously the responsibility of the Portman Group.Aims
There are four main aims of group:- Promote responsible drinking (and thus lessen binge drinkingBinge drinkingBinge drinking or heavy episodic drinking is the modern epithet for drinking alcoholic beverages with the primary intention of becoming intoxicated by heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time. It is a kind of purposeful drinking style that is popular in several countries worldwide,...
) - Help prevent misuse of alcoholAlcoholismAlcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
- Encourage responsible alcohol marketing and advertisingAlcohol advertisingAlcohol advertising is the promotion of alcoholic beverages by alcohol producers through a variety of media. Along with tobacco advertising, it is one of the most highly-regulated forms of marketing...
- Balance the understanding of alcohol-related issues.
Code of Practice on the Responsible Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks
The Portman Group operates a Code of Practice on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks which was first introduced in 1996. The Code, which is supported throughout the industry, seeks to ensure that drinks are marketed in a socially responsible way and to an adult audience only.The Code applies to all pre-packaged alcoholic drinks and covers the drink's naming, packaging, point-of-sale advertising, brand websites, sponsorship, branded merchandise, advertorials, press releases and sampling.
The Code has an open and accessible complaints system. Complaints under the Code are ruled on by an Independent Complaints Panel.
Full members
- Bacardi Brown Forman BrandsBacardiBacardi is a family-controlled spirits company, best known as a producer of rums, including Bacardi Superior and Bacardi 151. The company sells in excess of 200 million bottles per year in nearly 100 countries...
- Beverage Brands (UK) Ltd
- Carlsberg UK
- DiageoDiageoDiageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....
Great Britain - HeinekenHeinekenHeineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
UK - InBev UK LtdInBevInBev is a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev. The company existed independently for several years - since the merger between Interbrew and AmBev and until the acquisition of Anheuser-Busch. InBev has operations in over 30 countries and sales in over 130 countries...
- Magners GB Ltd
- MolsonMolsonMolson-Coors Canada Inc. is the Canadian division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Molson Coors Brewing Company. It is the second oldest company in Canada after the Hudson's Bay Company. Molson's first brewery was located on the St...
Coors Brewing Company UK Ltd - Pernod RicardPernod RicardPernod Ricard is a French company that produces distilled beverages. The company's eponymous products, Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis, are both anise-flavoured liqueurs and are often referred to simply as Pernod or Ricard...
UK
See also
- British Beer and Pub AssociationBritish Beer and Pub AssociationThe British Beer and Pub Association is the drinks and hospitality industry's largest and most influential trade association representing 98% of UK brewing and the ownership of over half of the nation's 54,000 pubs.-History:...
- Wine and Spirit Trade AssociationWine and Spirit Trade AssociationThe Wine and Spirit Trade Association is the voice of the wine and spirit industry, representing over 345 companies producing, importing and selling wines and spirits. WSTA members range from major retailers, brand owners and wholesalers to fine wine and spirit specialists, logistics and bottling...
- Institute of Alcohol Studies
- Alcohol Health Alliance UKAlcohol Health Alliance UKThe Alcohol Health Alliance UK is a United Kingdom organisation established in November 2007 to increase awareness of unhealthy alcohol use and its ramifications on health and society. Initiated by the Royal College of Physicians of London, its membership includes 21 British health organisations...
- Alcohol Concern
- Challenge 21Challenge 21Challenge 21 is a scheme in the United Kingdom introduced by the British Beer and Pub Association aimed at preventing young people gaining access to age restricted products including cigarettes and alcohol...
Campaigns
There have been several full campaigns run by the group. These include:- "I'll be Des" (designated driverDesignated driverThe terms "designated driver" and "designated driving" refer to selecting a person to remain sober, as the driver of a vehicle, while others are allowed to drink to excess . A designated driver is a person who abstains from alcohol on a social occasion in order to drive his/her companions home safely...
s) - "If you do do drink, don't do drunk" and DrinkAware.co.uk (excessive drinking, particularly in the under 24s)
- Proof of Age Card (aka Prove It) (a PASSPASSPASS is a government-backed scheme in the UK that gives young people a valid and accepted form of proof of age identification...
-accredited identity cardIdentity documentAn identity document is any document which may be used to verify aspects of a person's personal identity. If issued in the form of a small, mostly standard-sized card, it is usually called an identity card...
, discontinued in 2007)
These campaigns have been strongly criticsed by, amongst others, Professor Ian Gilmore
Ian Gilmore
Sir Ian Thomas Gilmore is a professor of hepatology and past president of the Royal College of Physicians of London ....
of Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
and Professor Martin Plant of the University of the West of England
University of the West of England
The University of the West of England is a university based in the English city of Bristol. Its main campus is at Frenchay, about five miles north of the city centre...
, both noted alcohol harm experts, as not only inneffective but even favourable to the alcohol industry.
External links
- Official site
- Drink Aware trust charityCharitable organizationA charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
site
Video clips
Audio clips
News items
- Scottish plan to increase cost of alcohol in March 2009
- Teenage drinkers in November 2007
- Legal age of drinking in August 2007
- Alcohol product labels no longer on football shirts in June 2007
- Night Out advert in April 2006
- Under-age drinking in September 2004
- Women's drinking poster in May 2005
- Violence and alcohol in September 2000
- Charging for proof-of-age card in January 2000
- Alcopops in October 1998