Ministers are being urged to exclude the alcohol industry from taking part in drawing up plans to reduce alcohol-related harm, over its previous ‘interference’ with such initiatives.
The call from public health campaigners comes after alcohol-related deaths hit a new record of more than 10,000 deaths a year in the UK.
According to the think tank Institute of Alcohol Studies, drinks producers and industry-funded groups such as the Portman Group and Drinkaware should be “kept at arm’s length” as their desire to maximise sales poses a serious conflict of interest.
“Like tobacco companies, alcohol companies have a long history of disrupting and delaying health policy, which is why the World Health Organization advises governments to protect themselves from undue influence from the alcohol industry,” said Dr. Katherine Severi, CEO of the IAS.
“Alcohol companies, trade associations and industry-funded front groups should be treated in a similar manner to the tobacco industry, with all interactions being public and discussions being limited to the implementation of policies developed in the public interest.”
Severi pointed out that the Scottish government failed to introduce a minimum price for alcohol for five years after the alcohol industry took legal action.
The IAS and public health experts have produced new guidance to advise the government on how to deal with the drinks industry. It advises ministers to “minimise interactions with industry”, not enter into partnerships with industry and ensure that good governance processes are in place “to minimise the risk of interference or obstruction of health policy objectives by the alcohol industry”.
If the guidelines are followed, it will mean that government departments will not work with the alcohol industry on health promotion campaigns, such as Drinkaware’s “Drink-free days” initiative in partnership with Public Health England, and would ban the use of educational materials it has produced in schools, such as those currently provided by the Talk about trustformerly called the Alcohol Education Trust.
It would also see the Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee stop taking evidence from groups including Drinkaware, the Portman Group and the British Beer and Pub Association. They attended a hearing with the cross-party group of MPs in February during their inquiry into preventing disease.
In England alone, the bill for alcohol harm amounts to Estimated £27.4 billion per year as a result of NHS treatment, loss of productivity and other costs, the IAS said.
Labour in opposition warned the drinks industry that it “must do better” to ensure its products did not harm consumers. Last year, Andrew Gwynne – the health minister in the new government – raised concerns about self-regulation of marketing practices, another key point highlighted by the IAS.
He said: “If they as an industry advocate self-regulation but at the same time encourage higher risk drinks through placement and advertising, don’t expect the next Labour government to sit back and do nothing.
“And I’ve already issued that warning directly to them. We’re considering a wide range of different interventions. If they don’t change, the next Labour government will change them.”
Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance and former president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: “More than 10,000 people a year in the UK die from alcohol-related causes. Yet the industry that profits from these products is given a say in how they are regulated, priced, marketed and made available. The fox should not be in charge of the henhouse.”
The Portman Group rejected the IAS guidance.
“This is a narrow-minded suggestion made by an organisation funded by the moderation movement, and it completely disregards the long-term, tangible work of industry-funded initiatives to tackle alcohol misuse, encourage moderation and enforce responsible marketing,” said Matt Lambert, the chief executive.
“For over 30 years, Portman Group’s self-regulatory system has been effective in ensuring the industry protects consumers from irresponsible marketing. In addition, working with government has ensured that the vast majority of adults now choose to drink in moderation, with continued declines in underage drinking, anti-social behaviour and binge drinking.
“It is vital to listen to different voices on these important issues and it would be counterproductive to exclude the expertise of the alcohol industry and self-regulatory bodies, who do so much to encourage responsible consumption,” he added.