JSC Cēsu alus sales and marketing director Gustavs Zatlers on the beer and wine advertising ban:
26/02/2010
- the adopted decision about the time limit for beer and wine advertising is absurd. By prohibiting the advertising of the product, the value of product brand is destroyed and price is left as the only category of choice;
- the adopted decision about the time limit for beer and wine advertising is absurd. By prohibiting the advertising of the product, the value of product brand is destroyed and price is left as the only category of choice;
- the majority of the alcohol advertisements are prepared by Premium Class products, thus developing the culture of beverage consumption and eliminating the consumption of low quality and illegal production. Decreasing the popularity of legally manufactured production promoted by advertisements creates opportunities for creativity in the illegal alcohol market.- it acquires customers not because of a strong brand and its qualities, but only and solely depending on the price;
- in 2009, beer producers in Latvia created a self-regulatory code for Latvian beer brewers, thus implementing social responsibility before the society and consumers. The code also provides the basic principles for advertising and promoting production in the market, thus taking responsibility for providing truthful information, ethical advertising content and respect towards consumers;
- a limit on advertising time is the next hit to the beverage production industry, which is already experiencing a series of increased tax burdens over the last year. It is also a serious threat to the legal alcohol market;
- a series of increased excise tax, sales prohibition on 1 September, rapid and hasty implementation of a deposit system for disposable packaging – these are factors that can destroy local producers in the long-run, making the production business of legal beverages in Latvia unprofitable and thus opening opportunities for the grey market.