Tightening Regulations on Alcohol Marketing and Promotion in Kenya
New Alcohol Advertising Regulations Introduced in Kenya
The Kenyan government has announced new regulations aimed at controlling the advertising, promotion, and marketing of alcoholic beverages. These regulations, introduced under the National Policy for the Prevention, Management, and Control of Alcohol, Drugs, and Substance Abuse, are comprehensive measures designed to protect children, youth, and the general public from alcohol-related harms.
Under these new rules, the minimum legal age for purchasing, consuming, handling, and selling alcohol has been raised from 18 to 21 years. Anyone under 21 is also barred from entering places where alcohol is sold.
The regulations prohibit all forms of alcohol advertising, sponsorship, and marketing targeting individuals under 21 years of age. This ban includes youth-related events such as school functions, university activities, sports competitions, music festivals, and any educational settings.
Moreover, the use of individuals under 25 years old in any alcohol advertisements or endorsements is now prohibited. This means models or actors in alcohol ads must be 25 or older.
The regulations also extend to celebrity endorsements and promotions of alcoholic products. To prevent glamorization of alcohol consumption, there is now a ban on such endorsements by musicians, actors, athletes, social media influencers, and media personalities.
Lifestyle advertising that glamorizes alcohol consumption is also prohibited. Additionally, the production or broadcasting of any audio-visual programs that depict alcohol consumption as a lifestyle is now forbidden.
The regulations prohibit advertisements of alcoholic products online, including those originating outside Kenya. Furthermore, the promotion of alcohol through free samples or discounted sales is now banned.
All alcohol advertising must provide factual information, and alcohol content should not be emphasized as a positive attribute in advertisements.
Outdoor advertising on government-owned properties, land, facilities, hospitals, residential areas, and buildings has been restricted. There will be regulations on outdoor advertising of alcoholic drinks in relation to presentation and content.
The regulations ban alcohol advertising via audio-visual platforms between 5 am and 10 pm, even for broadcasts originating outside Kenya.
The government has extended the ban on advertising alcoholic drinks within all learning institutions. Outdoor advertising within a 300-metre radius of educational institutions, including institutions of higher learning, has been prohibited.
Promotional materials that associate alcohol with persons under the age of 21 are not allowed. The regulations also aim to control the proliferation of alcohol advertising and prevent misleading or deceptive consumer practices.
These regulations collectively aim to shield minors and youth from excessive, misleading, or deceptive alcohol marketing, reduce youth access to alcohol, and curb the proliferation of alcohol-related harms in Kenya.
The implementation of these new regulations in Kenya extends beyond alcohol advertising to include the finance and business sector, as banking-and-insurance institutions are now prohibited from sponsoring or partnering with alcohol-related events or activities. The fintech industry is also affected, as online platforms promoting alcohol are now under surveillance and liable to penalties. Despite the new regulations, businesses are encouraged to foster responsible marketing practices, ensuring that alcoholic beverages are not marketed as a lifestyle or targeted towards minors and youth.
