Alcohol advertising policy in New Zealand

The sale of alcohol in New Zealand has been controlled by legislation since 1842. In contrast, the advertising and marketing of alcohol is left to the industries involved to ‘self-regulate’. Until the 1980s alcohol was not advertising on broadcast media, which were a state owned industry. Television advertising for off-licensed outlets was first permitted in 1981, followed by sports sponsorship or corporate advertising by alcohol companies from 1987. These changes occurred in parallel with the commercialisation of broadcasting, as part of a political programme of deregulation and a reduced role for the state (EDC 1987; Boston, Martin et al. 1991). From 1992, full alcohol brand advertising was permitted after 9 pm in exchange for free airtime for alcohol health promotion ads.