Subtle industry interference in public health: the case of the alcohol industry

Upstream drivers of alcohol consumption forcing people to consume alcohol frequently and excessively and experience alcohol-related harms are in fact all industry-related factors: easy physical access to alcohol, cheap alcohol beverage pricing, and heavy alcohol advertising and promotion. Unequivocal evidence exists on how these visible industry tactics effectively allow the infiltration of alcohol products into the market, targeting specific subgroups (women, youth), increase total per capita consumption and subsequently alcohol-related morbidity and mortality. This presentation will highlight using country cases and various examples the more subtle mechanisms in which the industry has successfully been interfering with nations’ progress in alcohol policy (e.g., NoLo beverages, interfering with WHO definitions, using SDGs to foster partnerships). Using the whole-of-government whole-of-society approaches, the presentation will also present evidence-based multi-sectoral actions (their facilitators and barriers) for more effective national alcohol policy. Given that alcohol is no ordinary commodity, the presentation will end with implications for policy to counterbalance global alcohol industry interference and support national actions.