Corporate political activities of the Portuguese Alcohol Industry post-COVID-19, where do we stand?

Background

Corporate Political Activity (CPA) within the alcohol industry (AI), like any other commercial sector, has the goal of influencing policy decisions, as well as interfering with the development of evidence-based public policies that are intended to reduce alcohol consumption and mitigate the negative impact it has on society and health. There is a limited level of awareness among the health community in Portugal about CPA, its potential public health impacts, and the role that the entire sector and others as well could play in addressing and avoiding these impacts. The purpose of this research is to characterize the actions of AI in the context of the post-COVID-19 pandemic by investigating, analyzing, and identifying instances of CPA in Portugal. 

Methods

 An extensive search was done to gather illustrative examples of AI corporate policy in Portugal for 2023. This involved examining activities, publications, and documents available on online platforms, as well as national institutional websites and communication channels used by AI. To frame and analyze the data found, the CPA Taxonomy developed by Ulucanlar et al (2023) for tobacco, alcohol, food, and gambling was employed.

Results

The investigation revealed an extensive and multifaceted CPA landscape within the Portuguese AI. Predominantly, instances of the 'good' actor framing were identified, portraying corporate intentions, values, and actions as 'good'/positive. Examples included claims of the industry being a key economic and employment contributor, an integral part of the national culture and identity, and a legitimate actor in policy and health spaces. A tokenistic approach to alcohol-related harm emerged, suggesting that health issues stem from individual choices rather than systemic issues, accompanied by statements downplaying the extent of health-related harms associated with alcohol. 

Conclusions 

The study sheds light on the variety of political strategies used by AI in Portugal, emphasizing the importance of scrutinizing and understanding them. Further, the identification of identical CPAs in 2019, before the pandemic, suggests a persistent resistance to acknowledging that addressing alcohol-related harm implies addressing AI and its playbook.  

Although the research focuses on the Portuguese context, similar patterns of CPA are observed in other regions and industries, contributing to the broader discussion of the intersection of corporate interests and public health.

As a result of identifying and presenting these activities, advocates, policymakers, and health and science professionals can gain a better awareness and perspective of how national alcohol corporations navigate the political landscape, frame policy spaces and undermine public health efforts. This study can be replicated for other commercial entities, informing targeted solutions and interventions, and efforts can be made to collaborate to address these issues.