Marketing and Promotion of Unhealthy Products: Alcohol, Tobacco and Fast Food

A set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms related to the marketing and regulation of alcohol, tobacco, and fast food as described in the notes.

Unhealthy products

Legally available items (e.g., alcohol, tobacco, fast food) that can harm health; governments regulate their marketing to minimise harm.

Alcohol

A depressant drug that slows brain–body signals; effects depend on size/weight/health, tolerance, presence of other drugs, and amount.

Excise tax (on alcohol)

A government levy designed to raise price and deter consumption; revenue goes to the government.

Occasional Licence

Licence required to sell alcohol at events or parties.

ABAC (Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code)

Self-regulatory code with four standards: cannot target under 25; cannot encourage heavy drinking; cannot promote mood enhancement or as a solution; cannot show drinking during safety-sensitive activities.

CTICP (Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice)

Regulates alcohol ads by restricting them to certain times on free-to-air channels to protect children.

Pregnancy warning labels (alcohol)

Mandatory pregnancy warnings on packaged alcohol; gazetted 31 July 2020; three-year implementation window.

Alcohol strength labeling

Packaging must communicate alcohol strength, but only in a secondary, factual, non-emotive way.

Public drinking law (WA)

Illegal to drink alcohol in public in Western Australia; offence for any age with penalties up to $2000 fines.

Live sport exemption

ABAC/CTICP are self-regulatory; alcohol ads during live sport telecasts are exempt from some restrictions.

Advertising on social media (alcohol)

Difficult to regulate; many ads with limited age checks; thousands of ads yearly; potential exposure to children.

Tobacco products

Nicotine-containing products (cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff); some devices (e.g., e‑cigarettes) may contain nicotine and many harmful chemicals.

Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act 1992

Prohibits nearly all forms of tobacco advertising and promotion; bans sponsorship, broadcasting, and publications; online ads illegal since 2012.

Plain packaging (tobacco)

Since 1 Dec 2012, tobacco packaging must be plain with warnings and Quitline; misleading terms like light/mild/low tar prohibited.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)

International treaty guiding countries to restrict tobacco advertising and promotion.

Sales restrictions (tobacco)

Sale of tobacco to under 18s prohibited; restrictions on vending machines and online sales; state-level regulation of sales.

Tobacco taxation

Excise tax on cigarettes to deter smoking; government revenue.

CTS 2009 (Children’s Television Standards)

Regulates advertising during children's programs; restricts misleading nutritional claims and directing ads to children; promotes a healthy lifestyle; applies to free-to-air TV.

Collectable toys and rewards (CTS)

CTS prohibits promotions that use toys or reward points to attract children in ads during children's programs.

Nutritional labeling (fast food packaging)

Packaging must display nutritional and kilojoule information.

Fast food health risks

Linked to cardiovascular disease, obesity, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, and other health issues.

CTS applicability gaps (fast food ads)

CTS applies mainly to free-to-air TV and during times with children; does not cover all popular programs or times.