A recent report, Global Standards in Action, showcased extensive efforts in New Zealand and around the globe to prevent harmful drinking.
The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) ‘Global Standards Coalition’ (GSC) put the report together which includes innovative safeguards and digital tools to prevent underage drinking and ensure responsible marketing.
The report also detailed proactive public-private sector collaboration to prevent harmful drinking. This has been bolstered by pioneering industry initiatives by IARD members and over 100 organisations that have joined the IARD GSC to continue raising global responsibility standards. This builds on the success of the GSC launch in 2023.
The GSC aims to create a positive movement that drives global initiatives focusing on proactive measures to:
- Further prevent sales to those underage or intoxicated
- Prevent marketing and advertising to those underage
- Provide training and guidance that empowers staff to deny sale, service, and delivery of alcohol where necessary
- Respect the choices of those who choose not to drink alcohol
- Elevate industry standards to reduce the harmful use of alcohol
The report showcased the extensive global efforts of leaders across the beer, wine, and spirits sectors, including the development of innovative safeguards and digital-first tools to prevent underage drinking and ensure responsible marketing.
In New Zealand, members of the GSC include IARD members Asahi, DB Breweries, Lion NZ, Pernod Ricard, NZ Alcohol Beverages Council, Spirits NZ, the Brewers Association, Hospitality NZ, and the Association of NZ Advertisers.
The GSA report also highlighted key cross-sector collaborations. One of these is IARD’s ongoing partnership with major digital platforms, including Google, Meta, Pinterest, Snap Inc., TikTok, and X, which continue to strengthen age-assurance systems. Platforms like Google, Reddit, Inc., and Snap now let users opt out of alcohol ads entirely.
In 2024, IARD members achieved 98.2 percent compliance with the Digital Guiding Principles, exceeding the 95 percent target. Free training tools developed with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) are now supporting producers of all sizes to meet these standards.
“The Global Standards Coalition is the first global alliance of its kind. It enables private sector organisations to share thinking, insights, and good practices to further reduce harmful drinking,” said NZABC executive director Virginia Nicholls.
The GSC responded to the UN Political Declaration on noncommunicable diseases, which called for steps to eliminate the sale, marketing and advertising of alcohol to minors.
The annual NZ Health survey provided information on New Zealanders’ health and wellbeing, and showed that 83.4 percent of New Zealand adults (five out of six of us) are drinking beer, wine and spirits responsibly. This is an increase of 4.7 percentage points over the past four years.
Hazardous drinking or harmful alcohol consumption among adults over the past four years has declined to 16.6 percent; however, this is still too high.
Fewer under-18s are drinking alcohol, and those who do are drinking less hazardously. The Stats NZ alcohol consumption per capita has also declined by 32 percent since 1984.
More beverage news here
