Despite the risks of overconsumption linked to alcohol advertising, a small majority of French people favor the relaxation of the Evin law. A paradoxical observation.
The French would rather be in favor of relaxing the Evin law on alcohol advertising. In any case, this is what emerges from an Odoxa survey carried out for Le Figaro, the MNH and France Inter, with a representative sample of 1014 people interviewed on the Internet.
Thus, a narrow majority (54%) of participants declared to support the relaxation of the Evin law voted within the framework of the Health law. This measure caused an uproar in the world of addiction, which pointed to the health risks associated with the promotion of alcohol. Representatives of the wine industry explained that they were penalized by the Evin law, which would prevent them from talking about wine tourism in the press.
Information, promotion: the tracks are blurring
The law therefore introduces a distinction between promotion and information about alcohol. A smoking distinction, if we are to believe the addictologists. “It is an amalgamation of bad faith; the Evin law has never prevented wine tourism issues from being dealt with in the specialized press, ”denounced Alain Rigaud, president of ANPAA (National Association for Prevention in Alcoholology and Addictology), questioned by Why Doctor during parliamentary debates.
In fact, the alcohol industry will be able, under the guise of “information”, to use communication media which it has hitherto been prohibited from. As proof, the law had not yet been promulgated that Vin & Société, which represents wine companies, orchestrated a campaign in the mainstream media on “guidelines for responsible consumption” – set at three glasses a day (two for women) with one day of abstinence per week. We have seen more responsible …
Information or promotion? The border is fine and the Evin law was precisely intended to prevent confusion between the two areas. But obviously, the French questioned in the poll do not care. “When we opposed the relaxation of the law, we were accused of hygienists,” said Danièle Jourdain Menninger, president of Mildeca. We have not sufficiently demonstrated to the general public the consequences of alcohol advertising and the risk of overconsumption. Not having countered the discourse and the influence of the alcohol lobby will be the great regret of my mandate ”.
Neutral package: the paradox
Even more surprisingly, the French people questioned in this poll were in favor of the neutral package, voted for by 57% of the participants – even though this measure is based on the same observation as that of the Evin law, namely that it is dangerous to promote a toxic product whatever it is, and that marketing encourages consumption. A new sign, perhaps, of the French paradox.
>> Watch The Health Guest of Why Doctor (program aired on December 4, 2015)
“Alcohol: a real defeat for public health” Jean-Pierre Couteron, president of Fédération Addiction.
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