Members' Business: Protecting Children and Young People from the Marketing of Health-harming Products

That the Parliament recognises the significant role that marketing plays in driving consumption of health-harming products, as discussed at the meeting of the Cross Party Group on Improving Scotland’s Health: 2021 and Beyond on 20 February 2019; notes the evidence presented by Dr Nathan Critchlow from the Institute of Social Marketing at the University of Stirling on how young people in the UK recall examples of alcohol marketing and can identify alcohol brands, and that exposure to alcohol marketing is associated with increased consumption, higher-risk drinking, susceptibility to drink, and brand knowledge among young people; acknowledges the stance taken by Scottish Women’s Football against alcohol sponsorship as part of its aspiration to be a "clean sport", as outlined by its Chair, Vivienne MacLaren; notes the unanimous agreement of those represented at the meeting that alcohol marketing has no place in childhood and that all children should play, learn and socialise in places that are healthy and safe, protected from exposure to alcohol advertising and sponsorship, and welcomes the commitment within the Scottish Government’s Alcohol Framework to consult and engage on a range of potential measures to protect children and young people from alcohol marketing in Cunninghame North and across Scotland.