Global Drinks Lobby Moves to Water Down WHO-Backed Alcohol Policies
The global alcohol industry, including major players like Heineken, Mexico’s tequila producers, and Belgian beer makers, is actively lobbying governments to resist stricter health policies proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to internal letters and emails reviewed by Reuters.
At the heart of the standoff is the WHO’s increasingly firm position that “no level of alcohol consumption is risk-free”—a statement the industry strongly disputes. The WHO links even light drinking to elevated risks of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and other non-communicable illnesses.
This summer, lobbying intensified ahead of a UN-backed health agreement set for adoption on September 25, which aims to set global targets for reducing non-communicable diseases. Early drafts of the agreement included strong alcohol control measures, such as raising taxes, limiting availability, and tightening advertising restrictions.
But by September, after months of lobbying by industry groups, key language had been weakened or removed. Instead of firm commitments, countries are now only urged to “consider” such steps, “in line with national circumstances.”
Industry Defends Itself, Critics Warn of Public Health Risks
The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), whose members include top beer and spirits producers, says the science on alcohol risks is more nuanced and calls for moderation-focused messaging, rather than blanket warnings. IARD CEO Julian Braithwaite told Reuters the group is working to “take back control of the alcohol debate.”
For the industry, the stakes are high. With consumers growing more health-conscious and alcohol sales under pressure, companies are stepping up efforts to influence global health policy. In March, Diageo—the world’s largest spirits maker—posted a job opening in its global lobbying team, citing an “unprecedented challenge” from WHO and NGOs pushing tighter regulation.
Meanwhile, letters show how the Mexican Chamber of Tequila Producers (CNIT) urged the government to help remove WHO-backed policy references from the UN agreement, arguing the proposals were neither practical nor fair to industry. Heineken also asked Mexican officials to soften language on advertising bans, proposing instead a focus on minors-only restrictions.
In Belgium, the national beer lobby sent a letter to the Deputy PM’s office objecting to what it called “radical positions” by the country’s health ministry, especially language that shifted the focus from harmful drinking to all alcohol consumption.
All three groups told Reuters their lobbying was standard industry practice, aimed at achieving balanced and evidence-based policy—not weakening health safeguards.
However, public health experts disagree. Jeremy Farrar, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion, said it’s time for a “real shift” in how health bodies confront alcohol-related harm, just as they have with tobacco and air pollution.
Dr. Eric Crosbie, public health professor at the University of Nevada, added, “We must remember these are for-profit companies. Their primary motive is not public health—it’s profit.”
WHO Stands Firm on “No Safe Level” Messaging
Since 2022, the WHO has ramped up publications warning about alcohol’s dangers. In 2023, it adopted the stance that no amount of alcohol is safe, triggering strong pushback from industry leaders.
Carlsberg CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen argued that moderate drinking promotes mental health and social well-being, urging the industry to “tell its side” more effectively. Diageo’s interim CEO Nik Jhangiani echoed the sentiment, saying the industry is being “outshone by negative messaging.”
Still, WHO policy officer Dag Rekve insists the health harms are “well-documented and consistent,” even at low levels of consumption.
As the September 25 deadline for the UN agreement approaches, the clash between public health goals and corporate influence continues to play out on a global stage.
