The scientists and the alcohol industry have clashed head-on over new research suggesting television audiences continue to be exposed to high rates of alcohol marketing and sponsorship.

The researchers say 'growing up with the ubiquitous alcohol advertising and sponsorship could lead children to assume drinking alcohol was part of being a good New Zealand”.

But an alcohol industry executive says the study ignores reality.

'Couldn't be further from the truth,” says Spirits New Zealand chief executive Robert Brewer.

The New Zealand Medical Journal surveyed televised sport over the 2014-15 summer and found audiences were exposed to between 1.6 and 3.8 alcohol brands per minute of broadcast time.

One of the researchers Louise Signal says it's time the All Blacks terminated their sponsorship with beer brand Steinlager.

'We know the children who see their sporting heroes promoting alcohol are much more brand loyal, and, therefore, more likely to consume.”

Massey University Professor Sally Caswell, who specialises in alcohol policy, says the research is a timely reminder of the extent to which we allow our children to be exposed to alcohol marketing kin the context of sporting events.

'It must be acknowledged this is only a small part of the exposure to alcohol marketing which is rife in many forms of media, including, most insidiously, social media such as Facebook.

"However, the focus on sports sponsorship by alcohol brands and retailers is important in a country like ours which is both strongly engaged with sport and suffers from considerable alcohol-related harm.”

This contributed to both the Law Commission and the subsequent Ministerial Forum on Alcohol Advertising and Sponsorship recommending an immediate ban on sponsorship of sport by alcohol industries.

The Forum was chaired by ex-rugby league coach Graham Lowe who was 'deeply saddened by a deafening silence from the government” in response to the report. Lowe said he was startled by evidence of the 'brainwashing' effect exposure to alcohol advertising and sponsorship in sport had on children.

Professor Steve Jackson of the University of Otago School of Physical Education says this small, but important latest study confirms the findings of a growing number of research studies both in New Zealand and internationally.

'And (the alcohol industry) is in the business of profit, not public welfare.'

He says the former PM John Key admitted New Zealand has a binge drinking culture but finding solutions is not easy.

'He was absolutely right, particularly when the government is unwilling to take bold steps which challenge the alcohol industry and its lobby groups.”

He says globally about 60 per cent of all alcohol television advertising spend is directed towards sports programming.

As to be expected, the alcohol industry has a different slant on the study. It claims it ignores what is really happening to drinking in New Zealand.

Spirits New Zealand Chief Executive Robert Brewer says the study basically says young New Zealanders' exposure to alcohol signage at fixtures like cricket and tennis internationals is excessive which leads to harmful consumption.

'This could not be further from the truth. Official Ministry of Health research continues to confirm that harmful drinking among younger drinkers in New Zealand is coming down and has been for some time.

'Young people are choosing to drink less, to start drinking later in life and not to binge drink – something which the study has chosen to ignore” says Robert Brewer.

'And overall the amount being drunk continues to fall in New Zealand so to say that exposure to alcohol brands at sporting events is somehow increasing harm is simply not true.”

Robert says official figures show that 80 per cent of the drinking public drink socially and responsibly.

'We all need to monitor how much we drink and make sure we drink moderately and stay safe and social.”