A new report by Movendi International, supported by the RESET Alcohol Initiative, has unveiled the tactics of the alcohol industry in 2024. Titled The Big Alcohol Exposed Annual Report 2024 – “From Sports to Screens”, the publication reveals the predatory practices of Big Alcohol and their immense societal damage. It provides compelling evidence of how alcohol corporations prioritise profits above human lives, undermining public health goals and derailing important policy initiatives.

The alcohol industry’s strategies are not minor oversights or accidents; they’re deliberate and systematic. This exposé sheds light on how Big Alcohol infiltrates trusted spaces, manipulates public perceptions, and obstructs life-saving policies aimed at protecting communities, especially young people.

A Systematic Strategy Rooted in Exploitation

The report details the calculated methods Big Alcohol uses to ensure its products remain ubiquitous and normalised, while ignoring the devastating consequences of alcohol harm. These strategies include deceptive marketing, data manipulation, and influencing political policies. Key concerns include infiltration into sports, precision marketing targeting vulnerable demographics, and misleading narratives around health and well-being.

Sports and Culture Co-opted

Major sporting events such as the Olympics provide visibility and trust. By sponsoring such events, alcohol brands align themselves with messages of health, success, and cultural pride. But this sponsorship masks the health and societal costs alcohol consumption brings, especially to the young audiences who idolise such events.

Targeting the Digital Sphere

With gaps in regulations, digital platforms have become fertile ground for Big Alcohol. Social media influencers, algorithms, and targeted ads bombard children and youth with alcohol marketing. The report also shows alarming examples, like in Australia, where people seeking help for alcohol issues are instead met with advertisements for alcohol products, exploiting their vulnerabilities.

Deceptive Narratives of Moderation

The strategy of “health-washing” is particularly insidious. By pushing non-alcoholic products and campaigns around “responsible drinking,” Big Alcohol creates an illusion of care while distracting from the indisputable public health evidence that even small levels of alcohol consumption can be harmful.

A striking observation comes from a report regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts led by alcohol companies. “The alcohol industry’s use of corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a form of enlightened self-interest has been found to be not only self-serving but also detrimental to public health,” points out the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs (source). Efforts labelled as “responsible drinking” often serve to enhance the industry’s image while deflecting focus from the harm its products cause.

A Conflict of Interest That Can’t Be Ignored

One of the central revelations in the report is the inherent conflict of interest between Big Alcohol’s profit goals and the health objectives of governments and international organisations. Big Alcohol thrives on sustained high alcohol consumption, often from under-age or high-risk users. A study from Germany in 2024 revealed that 50.4% of alcohol sales in the country come from heavy alcohol use – equating to €5.82 billion in profits.

It is this dependency on intensive consumption that fuels the industry’s willingness to intervene against meaningful reforms. A study on industry proposals for reducing harm critically notes, “What is absent from these [alcohol industry] proposals is one of the most relevant interventions to substantially decrease road-related deaths and other kinds of alcohol-related harm: reducing per capita alcohol consumption” (Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies, source). The report underscores that effective initiatives face resistance because they challenge the very foundation of industry profits.

The “Dubious Five” Strategies of Big Alcohol

Movendi International’s report outlines five primary tactics used by Big Alcohol to dominate global markets and suppress opposition. These include deception, manipulation, political interference, aggressive promotion, and sabotaging public health efforts. Examples from across the globe help paint a clear picture of the influence and control the industry exerts.

For instance, in Uganda, the alcohol industry derailed the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill by spreading false claims that the bill would lead to widespread job losses and economic ruin. This misleading narrative diverted attention away from the severe health, social, and economic costs of alcohol harm. It’s a calculated move — one designed to prioritise profits regardless of the fallout on society.

A Call to Action

The report makes one thing clear. Big Alcohol’s actions are deliberate, widespread, and incredibly damaging. Their profits come at the expense of families, communities, and nations. Vulnerable people, particularly children and youth, face the brunt of their predatory marketing and misinformation. Governments struggle to advance public health solutions amidst the pervasive interference of this billion-dollar industry.

This isn’t a fight we can afford to lose. It’s time for governments, civil society, and communities to stand up against Big Alcohol’s unethical practices. The evidence presented by Movendi International demonstrates the need for stronger protective measures and stricter regulations to shield societies from the harmful grip of the alcohol industry.

Big Alcohol isn’t just selling a product. It’s selling harm, addiction, and exploitation. Action must follow this knowledge. Protecting lives over industry profit cannot remain a mere talking point – it demands steadfast commitment and decisive change.

Source: Mailchi