Brit fans subjected to more than 100 images of alcoholic drinks every hour during football matches

A study of televised football matches in six of the main competitions in Britain has shown that there were 111 advertisements or other visual references to alcohol in every hour of football that was broadcast.

According to The Independent, this included glimpses of images displayed on pitch-side billboards or other references during replays or when scores were shown or substitutions were being made.

During the 18 hours of televised football included in the study there were 2,042 visual references to alcohol of various types, but mainly beer, the report said.

A senior lecturer in public health said that alcohol marketing was a big business and kids in particular were affected by it, adding that children who don't drink but are exposed to alcohol advertising are more likely to start drinking earlier in their lives.

The drinks industry spends about 200 million pounds a year on advertising and another 600 million pounds on other kinds of marketing, such as sport sponsorship, the report added.