Alcohol industry and related vested interest

Global alcohol producers and their global brands of beer, spirits and wine are expanding to every corner of the world, searching for growth in emerging markets that are key to maximizing future profits. The enormous market power exercised by those global companies easily translates into political power on the state and global levels.  That power may be a formidable force impeding progress in the fight to reduce and prevent NCD.  As WHO Director General Dr. Margaret Chan said at the Health for All Conference in Helsinki in 2013, “Efforts to prevent non-communicable diseases go against the business interests of powerful economic operators. In my view, this is one of the biggest challenges facing health promotion.”

WHO Statement of Concern

Global public health community issues warning over alcohol industry conflict of interest

More than 500 public health professionals, health scientists and NGO representatives from 60 countries have signed a joint Statement of Concern about the activities of the global alcohol producers.

05. April 2013
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South Africa: Conflict over ban on alcohol advertising

A fierce discussion on possible restrictions on alcohol advertising is currently going on in South Africa. The 53rd ANC National Conference re-confirmed the ANC’s intention to introduce a ban on alcohol adverts.

25. February 2013

WHO Bulletin on Global Fund conflict of interest

An article in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization raises concerns regarding conflict of interest in a partnership where SABMiller, the world’s second largest brewer by sales volume, receive funding from the Global Fund for a HIV/AIDS prevention project in drinking establishements in South Africa. "No conflict of interest" replies the Global Fund.

05. January 2012
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Questionable tactics in marketing

Alcohol producers are using questionable tactics to market their beer and liqour brands in the developing world. This is one of the conclusions in a study covering selected advertisements from seven countries.

09. December 2011
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PLoS Medicine Editorial:

Questions alcohol industry

A recent editorial in the peer-reviewed open access journal PLoS Medicine asks why medical journals and public health advocates who are concerned with corporate conflicts of interest, inappropriate marketing to children, impotent self-regulation, and general flouting of the rules are ignoring the alcohol industry.

06. June 2011
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Say South African health experts:

Global Fund SAB tie is extremely problematic

South African Breweries and the Global Fund has formalised a partnership to fight against HIV and AIDS. "This arrangement is extremely problematic and is in our view, completely unacceptable" say health experts pointing to conflict of interest, lack of evidence base and questionable quality of programme.

21. March 2011
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Pop star Bryan Adams challenged by Nepali NGOs on alcohol promotion

We love your music, but we do not like that you come to Nepal to promote alcohol! This was the challenge from Nepali NGOs to the famous pop star Bryan Adams when he visited Kathmandu recently.

02. March 2011
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National Conference in Thailand

Alcohol in the Globalized World

- Thailand will never give trade benefits higher priority than public health, declared Thai Prime Minister Abhisit at this year’s National Alcohol Conference in Bangkok.

13. December 2010
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ActionAid exposes tax dodging by SABMiller

African countries loose out on beer taxes

In a recent report and campaign UK charity ActionAid asks brewing gigant SABMiller to stop dodging tax in Africa. The report reveals how the world’s second biggest brewer uses a complex system of tax havens to siphon profits out of subsidiaries in developing countries, depriving those governments of significant amounts of tax.

06. December 2010

New American report: Alcohol Companies Use New Media to Lure Young Drinkers

The alcohol industry uses the whole menu of new social media to reach new drinkers and to promote their brands. Sophisticated marketing techniques are being used, concludes a new report just launched in the US.

11. June 2010