Examining the causal association between alcohol marketing and alcohol-related attitudes and consumption: A longitudinal cohort study with adults in the United Kingdom

Aim and rationale: To address the absence of robust public health research examining the reach and impact of alcohol marketing on adults in the UK, which is a key barrier to developing evidence-based policy in this area.

Method/data sources: A two-wave longitudinal survey with adults in the UK recruited from market research panels (n=6,000 at baseline, ~65% retention at 12-month follow up). Analyses would examine to what extent awareness of, and engagement with, various alcohol marketing activities at baseline predicts alcohol consumption (incl. higher-risk drinking) and mediators of alcohol use (e.g., norms, expectancies, motives) at follow-up, including how associations vary among demographic groups (e.g., age, socioeconomic status).

Policy relevance: The study would establish a robust evidence base concerning the impact of myriad alcohol marketing activities on adults in the UK (incl. advertising, price promotions, sponsorship, and digital marketing), thus informing the prioritisation and development of government policy in this area.