Brewdog CEO James Watt has dubbed the Scottish government’s plans to ban alcohol brand advertising as “totally unjustified”.
The report aims to lower alcohol-related deaths and hospitalisations by limiting alcohol marketing. It may also see the Scottish government tackle alcohol sponsorship in sports by prohibiting alcohol-branded sports merchandise.
SNP chiefs also want to scrap alcohol logos on pint glasses and other items, according to The Sun.
Brewdog boss Watt took to Twitter to vent his frustration about the news, writing: “The Scottish government wants to ban alcohol advertising. Scotland is home to some of the world’s finest spirits & the world’s number 1 craft beer – a source of jobs, prosperity & pride.
“A blanket ban would be a massive & totally unjustified, kick in the teeth for our nation.”
The Scottish government wants to ban alcohol advertising.
Scotland is home to some of the world’s finest spirits & the world’s number 1 craft beer – a source of jobs, prosperity & pride.
A blanket ban would be a massive & totally unjustified, kick in the teeth for our nation. pic.twitter.com/S7xvyKJH3U
— James Watt (@BrewDogJames) January 20, 2023
The plans would prevent logo branding as well as a possible ban on TV alcohol ads.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is determined to tackle Scotland’s problematic relationship with alcohol.
“The current wide-ranging consultation is an important step in doing that.”
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Last week, whisky industry leaders voiced their concerns about the Scottish government report. According to the BBC, distilleries across Scotland feel a possible ban would harm their business and the tourism trade overall. Industry leaders have also dismissed a claim in the report that without marketing and branding, alcohol products are “essentially variations of the same thing”.
Scotland-based whisky broker and consultant Blair Bowman told the BBC that he was “livid” at “extreme proposals” in the report. He believes addressing the issues with alcohol at a grassroots level would be more effective.
“It would be so damaging to tourism in Scotland, it just wouldn’t make any sense,” he added. “The implications are pretty enormous and I don’t think they’ve been fully thought through in terms of the mechanics of what that would mean.
