1
|
Platts C, Lacy‐Nichols J. Mapping corporate sponsorship of alcohol and gambling associations: An Australian pilot study. Addiction 2025; 120:1156-1166. [PMID: 39905959 PMCID: PMC12046460 DOI: 10.1111/add.16775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2024] [Accepted: 12/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2025]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Alcohol and gambling industries use a range of strategies to oppose and undermine public health policies targeting their industries. Industry associations often play a visible role in advancing alcohol and gambling industry interests, yet there are few studies analysing who their members or partners are and the relationships between them. Our study developed an approach to map the landscape of Australian alcohol and gambling associations, their members and partners and the connections between commercial actors. METHODS We conducted our study in four phases: first, we systematically searched for alcohol and gambling industry associations; second, we identified and classified association members and/or partners; third, we mapped three types of relationships between associations and members/partners (umbrella associations, co-location and joint membership/partnerships); lastly, we analysed the disclosures of the members and partners of the Australian Hotels Associations and Clubs Associations. RESULTS We identified 126 industry associations and 1486 unique companies/organisations from multiple industry sectors that were members/partners. Only 75 (59.5%) associations provided a list of members/partners. Most companies/organisations were partners of only one association (n = 1218), while five companies were partners of more than 20 associations. Concerning relationships, we identified five national clusters, 27 instances of co-location and an extensive network linking associations through shared partnerships. Finally, we assessed 658 relationships between Hotels and Clubs Associations and their partners, of which only 91 (13.8%) were transparently disclosed. CONCLUSIONS In Australia, many alcohol and gambling industry associations do not disclose their members or corporate partners and provide limited funding information. Members and corporate partners of Australian alcohol and gambling industry associations rarely disclose their support and are diverse in focus, size, members, partners, purpose and activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cara Platts
- Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global HealthThe University of MelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Jennifer Lacy‐Nichols
- Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global HealthThe University of MelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Leung JYY, Casswell S, Randerson S, Athauda L, Banavaram A, Callinan S, Campbell O, Chaiyasong S, Dearak S, Dumbili EW, Romero-García L, Gururaj G, Kalapat R, Karki K, Karlsson T, Kong M, Liu S, Maldonado Vargas ND, Gonzalez-Mejía JF, Naimi T, Nthomang K, Oladunni O, Owino K, Herrera Palacio JC, Phatchana P, Pradhan PMS, Rossow I, Shorter G, Sibounheuang V, Štelemėkas M, Son DT, Vallance K, van Dalen W, Wettlaufer A, Zamora A, Jankhotkaew J. Assessing alcohol industry penetration and government safeguards: the International Alcohol Control Study. BMJ Glob Health 2024; 9:e016093. [PMID: 39581634 PMCID: PMC11590778 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-016093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 10/23/2024] [Indexed: 11/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The alcohol industry uses many of the tobacco industry's strategies to influence policy-making, yet unlike the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, there is no intergovernmental guidance on protecting policies from alcohol industry influence. Systematic assessment of alcohol industry penetration and government safeguards is also lacking. Here, we aimed to identify the nature and extent of industry penetration in a cross-section of jurisdictions. Using these data, we suggested ways to protect alcohol policies and policy-makers from undue industry influence. METHODS As part of the International Alcohol Control Study, researchers from 24 jurisdictions documented whether 22 indicators of alcohol industry penetration and government safeguards were present or absent in their location. Several sources of publicly available information were used, such as government or alcohol industry reports, websites, media releases, news articles and research articles. We summarised the responses quantitatively by indicator and jurisdiction. We also extracted examples provided of industry penetration and government safeguards. RESULTS There were high levels of alcohol industry penetration overall. Notably, all jurisdictions reported the presence of transnational alcohol corporations, and most (63%) reported government officials or politicians having held industry roles. There were multiple examples of government partnerships or agreements with the alcohol industry as corporate social responsibility activities, and government incentives for the industry in the early COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, government safeguards against alcohol industry influence were limited, with only the Philippines reporting a policy to restrict government interactions with the alcohol industry. It was challenging to obtain publicly available information on multiple indicators of alcohol industry penetration. CONCLUSION Governments need to put in place stronger measures to protect policies from alcohol industry influence, including restricting interactions and partnerships with the alcohol industry, limiting political contributions and enhancing transparency. Data collection can be improved by measuring these government safeguards in future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- June Yue Yan Leung
- SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Sally Casswell
- SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Steve Randerson
- SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Arvind Banavaram
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Sarah Callinan
- Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Orfhlaith Campbell
- Drug and Alcohol Research Network, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | | | - Song Dearak
- Cambodia Movement for Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Emeka W Dumbili
- School of Sociology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Gopalkrishna Gururaj
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Khem Karki
- Department of Community Medicine, Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | - Mom Kong
- Cambodia Movement for Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Shiwei Liu
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Timothy Naimi
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | | | - Kwame Owino
- Institute of Economic Affairs Kenya, Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya
| | | | | | | | | | - Gillian Shorter
- Drug and Alcohol Research Network, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | | | | | - Dao The Son
- Department of Economics, Thuongmai University, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Kate Vallance
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Wim van Dalen
- STAP: Dutch Institute for Alcohol Policy, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Jintana Jankhotkaew
- SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
- International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Winkler MR, Antonacci CC, Zhang AY, Laska MN. "Games being played": a US exploration of market strategies used by the beverage industry as experienced by food retailers. Global Health 2024; 20:79. [PMID: 39543634 PMCID: PMC11566388 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-024-01073-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 11/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The beverage industry's role in undermining nutrition-related population health is a growing global concern. Industry strategies that affect policy, science, and public opinion are increasingly exposed. However, those used in the retail space-known as market strategies-remain largely unspecified. The purpose of this study was to uncover the market strategies beverage companies use with US retailers to secure their influence and control in the primary setting where the public purchases their products-food retail. METHODS We conducted a qualitative study based on multiple data sources: 49 interviews with industry insiders, including chain retail managers, independent store owners, and sales representatives and distributors of major food and beverage companies; 15 business files shared by participants, including written beverage marketing agreements and contracts; and 27 purposively sampled, publicly-available industry documents. All data were thematically analyzed. RESULTS We identified that beverage agreements, which dictate the products, space, marketing, and prices of company products in retail settings, are universal regardless of the retailer's market size. While ubiquitous, the agreement terms, services, and treatment beverage companies provided varied widely-with large US retail chains receiving superior opportunities, such as financial incentives and additional services, and independent and small chain retailers often experiencing disadvantaged, more expensive, non-negotiable terms. Despite this, companies also used several strategies that diminished concerns of differential treatment and thus effectively managed their reputation among independent and small chain retailers. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest a use of the consolidated power among beverage companies with significant implications for the healthfulness of food retail settings. We conclude by highlighting key policy and legal targets that could be leveraged in the US to address power imbalances in the retailer-beverage company relationship and ultimately shift retail towards promoting public health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan R Winkler
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Cerra C Antonacci
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Angela Y Zhang
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Melissa N Laska
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 S. 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lacy-Nichols J, Baradar H, Crosbie E, Cullerton K. Lobbying in the Sunlight: A Scoping Review of Frameworks to Measure the Accessibility of Lobbying Disclosures. Int J Health Policy Manag 2024; 13:8497. [PMID: 39620517 PMCID: PMC11549566 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.8497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 12/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While anyone can lobby governments, most lobbying is driven by commercial interests. Due to limited government disclosures, it is often challenging to get a clear picture of who is lobbying whom or why. To help make lobbying more visible to the public, we set out to develop a framework of key criteria for best practice government lobbying disclosures. METHODS We undertook a systematic scoping review of peer-reviewed and grey literature to identify frameworks for measuring or evaluating lobbying transparency. We screened the titles and abstracts of 1727 peer-reviewed and 184 grey literature articles, assessing 230 articles for eligibility. Following screening, we included 15 frameworks from six peer-reviewed and nine grey literature articles in our review. To create our framework of lobbying disclosures, we thematically coded the 15 included frameworks and used an iterative process to synthesise categories. RESULTS The 15 frameworks covered more than only lobbying disclosures, with the most common other theme about enforcement and compliance. Most frameworks were developed to evaluate lobbying transparency in particular jurisdictions, with the United States the most common. Of the 15 frameworks analysed, those developed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) focused mainly on improving lobbying regulations, while most peer-reviewed studies developed frameworks to measure, compare and evaluate lobbying regulations. We developed a Framework fOr Comprehensive and Accessible Lobbying (FOCAL). It comprised eight primary categories (scope, timeliness, openness, descriptors, revolving door, relationships, financials, and contact log) covering 50 total indicators. CONCLUSION Government transparency plays a crucial role in facilitating access to information about commercial political activities like lobbying. Our framework (FOCAL) offers a template for policy-makers to develop or strengthen regulations to improve lobbying transparency so commercial political influence strategies are more visible and subject to public scrutiny. This is an important step towards rebalancing influence toward the public interest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Lacy-Nichols
- Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Hedeeyeh Baradar
- Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Eric Crosbie
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Katherine Cullerton
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Thomas S, Francis J, Hennessy M, Frazer K, Godziewski C, Douglass C, Okan O, Daube M. The year in review-Health Promotion International 2023. Health Promot Int 2024; 39:daad181. [PMID: 38211952 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daad181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Thomas
- Institute for Health Transformation, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Joel Francis
- Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Marita Hennessy
- College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Kate Frazer
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | - Orkan Okan
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Literacy, Department of Health and Sport Sciences, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Mike Daube
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| |
Collapse
|