Alcohol Uncovered shares a comprehensive and independent analysis, both national and international, of the many complex issues related to alcohol use.
Featuring expert analysis and insight to the health and socio-economic risk from alcohol use; the challenges with recalibrating our harmful relationship with alcohol; the most effective measures and policy to shape a society that is free from alcohol harm; the commercial determinants sustaining poor public health outcomes and prolonged health inequalities, and an exposé of transnational alcohol producers' commercial and political tactics to impede and obstruct public health policy.
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Part 2: No/lo alcohol products - what role do they play in reducing alcohol harm?
Alcohol marketing regulations are failing to protect children because of clever brand sharing tactics.
Partial advertising bans on the sports field and television are easily bypassed. Global alcohol companies use zero alcohol products that look identical to their master brands to maintain continuous brand exposure. Addressing this issue requires examining how youth perceive these ads and exploring the power of comprehensive policy restrictions.
This discussion features two prominent academic researchers who investigate public health policy. Dr Richard Purves is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Stirling who studies sports sponsorship. Dr Frank Houghton is a Lecturer and Principal Investigator at the Technological University of the Shannon who specialises in alcohol and gambling marketing.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Youth perception of zero alcohol sports sponsorship in Scotland
The rise of brand sharing to bypass marketing restrictions
Policy lessons from regulatory frameworks across six European countries
Parallels between zero alcohol marketing and state lottery advertising
Why comprehensive bans work better than complex partial regulations
GUEST DETAILS
Dr Richard Purves is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Stirling who specialises in commercial alcohol marketing and youth sports sponsorship. He has conducted extensive focus groups with young people and synthesised international evidence for the World Health Organisation
Contact:
Email: r.i.purves@stir.ac.uk (mailto:r.i.purves@stir.ac.uk)
Link to Richard’s research mentioned in today’s podcast:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925004049 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925004049)
Dr Frank Houghton is a Lecturer at the Technological University of the Shannon who leads the Tobacco, Alcohol, and Gambling Research Group. He specialises in regulatory enforcement, public health policy, and multinational research collaborations across Europe. frank.houghton@tus.ie
Contact :
Email: frank.houghton@tus.ie (mailto:frank.houghton@tus.ie)
Link to Frank’s research mentioned in today’s podcast:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398319773_REGLEMENTATION_DU_MARKETING_AUDIOVISUEL_ET_NUMERIQUE_DE_L'ALCOOL_DANS_SIX_PAYS_EUROPEENS_RESUME (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398319773_REGLEMENTATION_DU_MARKETING_AUDIOVISUEL_ET_NUMERIQUE_DE_L)
MORE INFORMATION
For more information on Alcohol Action Ireland’s work in this area:
Zero-alcohol products - Alcohol Action Ireland (https://alcoholireland.ie/our-work/campaigns/zero-alcohol-products/)
If you are looking for support visit the link below or call HSE Drug and Alcohol Helpline 1800459459
https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/5/addiction/drugshivhelpline (https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/5/addiction/drugshivhelpline)
Counselling phone line: https://connectcounselling.ie/ (https://connectcounselling.ie/)
Alcohol Action Ireland Toolkit: https://alcoholireland.ie/our-work/campaigns/silent-voices/toolkit/ (https://alcoholireland.ie/our-work/campaigns/silent-voices/toolkit/)
QUOTES
A comprehensive ban is really the only way where you can really tackle this. - Dr Richard Purves
Enforcement seems to be a real issue across the board. - Dr Frank Houghton
They were just drawn to that core branding, and that's it. - Dr Richard Purves
Potential, and this was confirmed in our research, for Nolo to actually be sort of an entry route into full-strength alcohol. - Dr Frank Houghton
KEYWORDS
#ComprehensiveMarketingRestrictions#ZeroAlcoholSportsSponsorship#BrandSharingLoopholes
#AlcoholAdvertisingBans
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17 Aug 2026
No/lo alcohol products - what role do they play in reducing alcohol harm?
Alcohol-related harm remains a persistent public health crisis in Ireland, with four lives lost to consumption daily. Although the state enacted the Public Health Alcohol Act to curb these impacts, the rapid rise of zero and low-alcohol products introduces critical questions regarding moderation versus industry marketing tactics.
This discussion explores whether these drinks offer a genuine health solution or act as surrogate advertising for parent alcohol brands.
Joining the conversation are Dr. Zubair Kabir, Senior Lecturer in Public Health at University College Cork and lead on the Global Burden of Disease study, and Dr. Fergal O’Connor, Senior Lecturer in Financial Economics at University College Cork. Both experts provide essential, evidence-based analysis on the intersection of health policy, economics, and corporate strategy.
This podcast and the research discussed is funded by Research Ireland through their New Foundations scheme.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Alcohol-related mortality rates and healthcare system burden.
Barriers to implementing the Public Health Alcohol Act.
Global market trends for zero and low-alcohol products.
Economic evidence of substitution between beer and no-low alternatives.
Marketing strategies and surrogate brand promotion tactics.
GUEST DETAILS
Dr. Zubair Kabir is a Senior Lecturer in Public Health at University College Cork and the country lead for the Global Burden of Disease Study. He specializes in tobacco control and alcohol policy research.
Contact Zubair:
Website: https://research.ucc.ie/en/persons/zubair-kabir/ (https://research.ucc.ie/en/persons/zubair-kabir/)
Social Media: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/zubair-kabir-ba571520b (https://ie.linkedin.com/in/zubair-kabir-ba571520b)
Dr. Fergal O’Connor is a Senior Lecturer in Financial Economics at University College Cork. His research focuses on international beer consumption patterns, the economics of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and cross-price elasticities.
Contact Fergal:
Email: fergal.oconnor@ucc.ie (https://research.ucc.ie/en/persons/fergal-oconnor/#)
MORE INFORMATION
If you are looking for support visit the link below or call HSE Drug and Alcohol Helpline 1800459459
https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/5/addiction/drugshivhelpline (https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/5/addiction/drugshivhelpline)
Counselling phone line: https://connectcounselling.ie/ (https://connectcounselling.ie/)
Alcohol Action Ireland Toolkit: https://alcoholireland.ie/our-work/campaigns/silent-voices/toolkit/ (https://alcoholireland.ie/our-work/campaigns/silent-voices/toolkit/)
KEYWORDS
#NoLowAlcoholProductsIreland#AlcoholPolicyIreland#PublicHealthAlcoholAct
#AlcoholHarmReduction
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1 Nov 2024
Silent Voices
Artist and psychotherapist Aisling Creegan shares her journey of overcoming childhood trauma from an alcoholic mother, offering insights into resilience and healing.
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Aisling Creegan
Dr Robin Ireland
Pádraig O'Hora
Noeline Blackwell
Nicholas Carah
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