“This Supposed Conflict of Interest”: Analysis of Industry Framings of Partnership and Conflict of Interest in WHO Public Consultations on Alcohol Policy
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: High-level commitments to engage the private sector in governance and limited attention to managing conflicts of interest (COIs) have enabled alcohol industry actors to participate in policy development processes. This is recognized as a key barrier to developing effective alcohol policy and as important to the industry's efforts to position itself as a contributor to sustainable development. This article examines alcohol industry perspectives on governance, particularly with respect to partnerships and COI, submitted during the development of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Alcohol Action Plan. METHOD: This study was a frame analysis of 111 submissions from alcohol industry actors to two public consultations held in the development of the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022-2030. RESULTS: Alcohol industry actors engaged with two broad frames in their submissions, collaborative and adversarial. Industry submissions overwhelmingly used the collaborative frame, positioning the alcohol industry as a partner by claiming alignment with policy goals and by referencing forms of governance that prioritize industry involvement. Respondents also engaged with a contrasting adversarial frame, most commonly articulated by public health actors, by rejecting the relevance of COI, resisting restrictions on the industry's role in governance, and dismissing a potential binding global instrument for alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: The alcohol industry places significant value on participating in policy initiatives and is resistant to challenges to its engagement. The WHO Action Plan's continued ambivalence toward the alcohol industry may point toward a challenging environment for effective policy. This underscores a need for stronger norms around COI and a more cautious approach to the alcohol industry.
Authors: Emma Thompson, Nason Maani, Jeff Collin
Institution: University of Edinburgh
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: Health and Care Research Wales, UK Research and Innovation, Cancer Research UK, National Institute for Health and Care Research, British Heart Foundation, Public Health Agency, Medical Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council
OpenAlex ID: W4414512232
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