Addictions France alcohol advertising on social media, Digi Mart USA News (France): Social networks have become “a weapon of mass propagation for alcohol brands,” according to the association Addictions France, which is calling for a ban on alcohol advertising on social networks and the internet in general. In a report published Thursday, November 5, the education, prevention and care association criticizes in particular “interstitial” or “invasive” advertisements, paid brand content inserted into users’ news feeds.
To maximize engagement without raising suspicion, brands favor “immersion and interaction,” using “mixology recipes, quizzes, polls and viral contests that exploit circles of friends,” the association explains. Among 20 brands monitored on Meta platforms, BrewDog (beer) produced the most such content, with 1,550 items observed over one year, compared with an average of 210 for the other brands.
Jägermeister liqueur (655 items) and Gérard Bertrand wine (630 items) followed.
According to Addictions France, these brand-inserted contents regularly exceed the limits set by the Evin Law, which prohibits advertising that associates alcohol with partying, conviviality or humor. Of 54 posts published on Meta platforms by the brands Label 5, Bavaria 8.6 and Jägermeister, half “exceed the regulatory framework,” the association says, citing the presence of characters and celebrities, references to tattoo artists, contests and calls for community interaction.
As in its previous report last year, Addictions France also points to brands’ push toward influencers. Influencers are paid, or sometimes not, to publish “life moments” such as parties, friendships and leisure, often in video format, in which the alcohol brand is visible in a more or less subtle way.
Among the leaders in this area is elderflower liqueur Saint-Germain, spotted in 87 posts by 35 different influencers.
The association says these commercial collaborations frequently generate thousands, or even tens of thousands, of reactions, comments and shares, demonstrating their ability to capture users’ attention and make advertising messages memorable. Addictions France regularly files legal actions against alcohol brands and influencers who take part in their campaigns.
In 2025 it secured the conviction of Heineken, which was fined twice, 50,000 euros each, by the Paris criminal court; the case is under appeal. The influencers involved were also sanctioned but exempted from penalties.
The association acknowledges it cannot pursue every violation it identifies and is therefore calling for a complete ban on alcohol advertising online, as already exists for television.
