Are you concerned about alcohol harm in communities and its impact on children’s health and wellbeing?

A new University of Otago study has found that New Zealand children are exposed to unhealthy marketing 76 times every day, from junk food and alcohol to gambling promotions. It’s a sobering reminder of how much influence these industries have on young minds, and why community voices matter.

Over four days, a group of twelve-year-olds wore small cameras that photographed everything they saw. The results, published in Social Science & Medicine, gave parents and researchers a rare, unfiltered look at children’s daily worlds, and it wasn’t pretty.

Children were exposed to nearly 250 percent more unhealthy messages than healthy ones. Junk food dominated at 68 sightings a day, with Coca-Cola topping the list. Beer brands led the alcohol ads, and most gambling promotions came from Lotto and TAB.

Lead researcher Professor Louise Signal says this constant exposure chips away at the values families work hard to build. “The saturation of harmful marketing undermines the guidance parents give at home, replacing it with the influence of multinational corporations,” she says.

Co-author Associate Professor Leah Watkins adds that children simply can’t recognise the persuasive intent of advertising until around sixteen, leaving them especially vulnerable. Those living in disadvantaged areas see even more of this marketing, compounding existing inequalities.

The researchers point out that strong government rules work. There’s no tobacco marketing in the footage, because it’s banned. Yet self-regulated industries like junk food, alcohol and gambling continue to flood children’s spaces with harmful messages.

Here at Path Wānaka, we see this as another reason to keep supporting parents and communities to have open, informed conversations about alcohol and wellbeing.

If you’d like to understand more about how marketing and alcohol affect young people, Alcohol Healthwatch is hosting a free “Kids and Alcohol” workshop offering practical tools for families and communities.

Participants will workshop practical solutions with experts and colleagues to reduce harm from alcohol and its marketing

Workshop is held online:

When: Tuesday 18th November 2025 – 2:00PM to 4:00PM

Where: Online – Teams link will be sent to those who register to the event through the Jotform below

Cost: Free

Please feel free to share these details with others who may be interested in attending. Please RSVP HERE. Register by Midday 17th November.

Presenter:

Professor Louise Signal is Co-Director of the Health Promotion and Policy Research Unit at the University of Otago, Wellington and a lead investigator on Kids’Cam and Kids Online. Louise is a social scientist with a PhD in Public Health. She has worked and conducted research in health promotion for over 30 years. Her research interests include tackling inequities in health and healthy public policy.