Date: November 5, 2018
Source: University of Connecticut
Summary: Alcohol industry social responsibility schemes strengthen their own commercial interests while failing to reduce harmful alcohol use, according to a new worldwide study. Far from confirming industry claims that they can ‘do good’ with corporate campaigns, the findings suggest that the public health benefits are likely to be minimal. In fact, 11 percent of the industry actions had the potential for doing harm.
Alcohol industry social responsibility schemes strengthen their own commercial interests while failing to reduce harmful alcohol use, according to a new worldwide study led by the University of Connecticut.
The study, published in The BMJ, examined industry actions on social responsibility and found that almost all of them — 97 percent — lacked scientific support, while alcohol producers benefited from brand exposure and the appearance of being able to manage risk and achieve strategic goals.
Far from confirming industry claims that they can “do good” with corporate campaigns, the findings suggest that the public health benefits are likely to be minimal. In fact, 11 percent of the industry actions had the potential for doing harm.
“The corporate social responsibility activities of alcohol producers conceal a clear conflict of interest in improving public health, as a truly effective approach to tackling alcohol harm will only hurt their bottom line,” says lead author Professor Thomas Babor, head of the Department of Community Medicine and Health Care at UConn Health.
“Governments, however, have a clear duty to put public health first, and must do so without industry interference,” Babor adds.
The researchers based their study on more than 3,500 efforts by the alcohol industry to reduce harmful alcohol use. Efforts were assessed based on benefits to the industry in terms of their potential for marketing, impact on regulatory policy, and strategy. And the public health impact of the efforts was assessed in terms of effectiveness and potential for harm.
Click here to read full research report.