Alcohol marketing watchdog The Portman Group has expressed its concerns that if TV product placement rules are relaxed, as is being considered by the Government, it may undermine the current controls on alcohol marketing which exists in the UK.

The Government has been in consultation over the last few months as to whether to allow product placement to run on television, similar to the system used in the US.

David Poley, chief executive of the Portman Group, warned: “It could be far more difficult to control the message in product placement than with advertising.  The danger is that less scrupulous companies would exploit this.  We could see all kinds of unwise and unhealthy drinking portrayals.  We do not want to see product placement unless it can be regulated to the same high standards as all other alcohol marketing.”

Craig Cowburgh has also highlighted his concerns about product placement in the next issue of The Drum, out tomorrow.