New ICAP publication: Working Together to Reduce Harmful Drinking

27 November 2009. Drinks companies are concerned that they are being sidelined in the debate on excess alcohol consumption, currently underway at the World Health Organisation (WHO). They hope that the launch of the book 'Working Together to Reduce Harmful Drinking', published by the industry-funded International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP), will change this.

"We've not shied away from tackling thorny issues such as alcohol marketing or the role of pricing," said Diageo CEO Paul Walsh, who spoke alongside SABMiller CEO Graham Mackay at the launch event in London. "Granted, we have views about the efficacy of increasing prices or banning marketing...but we also offer a slate of areas where alcohol producers could be involved more and have a real impact," said Walsh.

The book, which is aimed at policymakers, health campaigners and industry, comes less than a month before the WHO is expected to publish a draft version of its 'global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol'. Both Walsh and Mackay spoke of "extremists" among public health campaigners, who are "actively lobbying" to see the drinks industry excluded from the debate.

Industry leaders have admitted that the sector has not been proactive enough in tackling problem drinking. Too often, drinks firms have been caught on the backfoot by this proposal or that. There is also concern that the WHO may recommend stringent legislation, and recommend minimum pricing. While WHO recommendations are not legally binding on member states, its prestige can give it significant sway on national policy.

"The proposals will address pricing, they will address availability, they will address marketing," Marcus Grant, the book's co-author and previous employee of the WHO, told just-drinks. "I think the industry would be prepared to accept reasonable legislation, but it is important to show why legislation should not be excessive," said Grant, who is chairman of ICAP body the Centre for Information on Beverage Alcohol.

ICAP's general approach is ardently in favour of self-regulation. The authors call on drinks producers to actively promote responsible drinking, push for industry marketing codes in different countries and work on lower alcohol drinks as an alternative to existing products - where market demand exists. Critics argue that selling shots of vodka for GBP1 (US$1.65) each or failing to prevent cans of lager being sold at equivalent to GBP0.50 each in retailers shows that the industry is not capable of getting its house in order.