A new report from the University of Stirling, commissioned by FORUT, documents how global alcohol companies – including Diageo, AB InBev and Heineken – operate in sub-Saharan Africa in ways that undermine public health and weaken public regulation.
The report «Pursuing profit at the expense of public health?» examines 61 specific examples from six countries (Uganda, South Africa, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Burundi and Zimbabwe), and also provides two in-depth studies from South Africa and Uganda.
Main findings
- The alcohol industry uses sponsorship of sports, culture, and education, as well as donations and corporate social responsibility (CSR), to build trust and gain influence in local communities.
- Many measures are aimed at young people, and would be illegal in Norway.
- The industry is partnering with local governments and NGOs to strengthen its legitimacy.
- In Uganda, beer is associated with national pride through extensive sports and cultural sponsorship.
- In South Africa, alcohol companies have systematically opposed new alcohol legislation, including through lobbying, donations and funding of alternative impact assessments.
Fallout
- The strategies weaken the possibility of introducing effective alcohol policy measures recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- Alcohol-related illness and death are on the rise.
- The report points to clear parallels to the tobacco industry’s previous strategies for delaying regulation and creating uncertainty about health harms.
Norwegian context
The report shows that in 2024, the Government Pension Fund Global had investments worth NOK 138 billion in companies mentioned in the report. FORUT believes this is incompatible with Norway’s efforts for global health and development and demands that the fund withdraw from the alcohol industry.
The report has been prepared by researchers at the University of Stirling and published in collaboration with international partners in six African countries.
