Portman Group voices concern over product placement

07 January, 2010

UK: Watchdog the Portman Group has expressed concern over product placement on television.

The group said it wanted to ensure that product placement is not allowed to undermine the existing strict controls on alcohol marketing.

The Government is currently consulting on whether to allow television programme makers to accept payment in return for product placement on television.

The content of alcohol marketing in the UK is strictly regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority and the Portman Group.

David Poley, chief executive of the Portman Group, said: “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.”