The Portman Group is the United Kingdom’s industry-funded “social responsibility” body and self-regulator for alcohol labelling, packaging, promotion and sponsorship, founded in 1989. It presents itself as an independent regulator that safeguards consumers, yet in practice it exists to serve the commercial and political interests of alcohol producers by promoting “responsibility” narratives and voluntary codes that delay or deflect effective public policy.
OVERVIEW
The Portman Group says it is “the social responsibility body and regulator for alcohol labelling, packaging and promotion in the UK,” operating two voluntary codes – on Naming, Packaging and Promotion (first issued in 1996) and on Alcohol Sponsorship – and an Independent Complaints Panel. It states that the Codes are supported by “over 170 code signatories” and that the organisation is funded by 21 industry member companies.
Independent research and civil society analyses repeatedly show that self-regulation does not prevent youth exposure to marketing and fails to protect public health, while industry bodies use “responsibility” messaging to normalise alcohol use and to forestall statutory rules. UK and European evidence reviews conclude that self-regulation is ineffective and recommend statutory restrictions instead.
MEMBERS
The Portman Group is funded by leading alcohol companies and backed by more than 170 “Code Signatories” across producers, importers, wholesalers, retailers and trade associations.
- Asahi Group
- Aston Manor Cider
- Bacardi
- Brown-Forman
- Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I
- Coca-Cola Great Britain
- C&C Group plc
- Campari Group
- Diageo
- Edrington UK
- Heineken
- Jägermeister
- Lucky Saint
- Mark Anthony Brands
- Molson Coors
- SHS Drinks
- Suntory Global Spirits
- Pernod Ricard
- Punch Pubs & Co
- Thatchers Cider
- Treasury Wine Estates
STRATEGIC MESSAGING AND POLICY INFLUENCE
The Portman Group’s Codes and guidance are presented as a comprehensive solution that makes proper, evidence-based alcohol policy measures unnecessary.
A report published by Alcohol Change UK, Fit for Purpose? An analysis of the role of the Portman Group in alcohol industry self-regulation, reviewed 12 years of decisions by the Portman Group’s Complaints Panel concerning naming, packaging and promotion. It found regulatory decision-making to be inconsistent and heavily opinion-based, with unclear or vague standards and weak accountability. It concluded that self-regulation via the Portman Group is not working effectively and called for a government-led overhaul to bring regulation in line with evidence-based standards.
Evidence from the UK and internationally shows that complaints-led, industry-controlled systems fail to protect young people from alcohol marketing. A study of industry codes found that they are often broken, complaints are rare and slow to process, and young people remain widely exposed to alcohol promotion. Another study of alcohol advertising showed that many ads use themes that appeal to youth and that underage audiences continue to see large amounts of marketing on TV, online platforms, and through sponsorship. Both studies conclude that self-regulation does not work, and that only statutory rules can reduce exposure and protect public health.
The Portman Group participates in UK policy consultations and public debates to argue that voluntary approaches and “partnership” should guide alcohol policy, in opposition to binding measures on marketing, availability and pricing. UK public health bodies have urged policymakers to exclude industry-funded bodies – including the Portman Group – from alcohol policy design due to conflicts of interest.
The Portman Group created the Drinkaware website in 2004, and following a 2006 Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Government, the Drinkaware Trust was launched as a separate charity. Despite being presented as independent, it is funded by alcohol producers and retailers, which undermines its credibility. Academic research shows that bodies like Drinkaware are part of the alcohol industry’s corporate social responsibility playbook. As one study explains: “funding such bodies forms part of corporate social responsibility programmes which allow companies to position themselves as legitimate policy actors and ‘part of the solution’ to alcohol related harms… their programmes absorb policy bandwidth and deflect from more effective, evidence based interventions (e.g. on pricing and advertising) which affect industry sales and profits.” (Hawkins et al., 2021)