Corporate political activity in the context of sugar-sweetened beverage tax policy in the WHO European Region
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes have emerged as an effective and increasingly popular tool to reduce added sugar intake, an important contributor to obesity and non-communicable diseases. A common barrier to the implementation of well-designed SSB taxes is the opposition of commercial actors. Focusing on the WHO European Region, this study seeks to map if and how key stakeholders have experienced industry efforts to influence SSB taxes. METHODS: We identified 11 countries in the WHO European Region which have implemented SSB taxes or attempted to do so. Using an online survey informed by the global literature on industry interference with SSB taxation, we approached 70 in-country policymakers, advocates and academics. The data were analysed using an existing framework of corporate political activity. RESULTS: Twenty-three experts from nine countries responded to the survey. Transnational SSB producers and their business associations were identified as the most active opponents of SSB taxation. Industry claims that the policy would have negative economic effects were identified as the most common and powerful arguments. Direct lobbying was reported in all study countries. Shifts in political activity were recognisable across stages of the policy process, moving from outright opposition to attempts to delay or weaken the policy after its announcement. CONCLUSION: Those seeking to introduce effective SSB taxation can use our findings to pre-empt and counter industry opposition. We identify several measures for preventing and mitigating industry interference with SSB tax policy.
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- Authors
- Lauber, K., Rippin, H., Wickramasinghe, K., & Gilmore, A. B.
- Affiliations
- University of Bath (GB)
- WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCD (RU)
- Corresponding author
- Lauber, Kathrin
- Venue
- European Journal of Public Health
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2022-09-13
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 786-793
- ISSN
- 1101-1262 (ISSN-L)
- 1464-360X
- PMC
- PMC9527967
- OpenAlex
- W4295428001
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 6.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- European Journal of Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Edinburgh Research Explorer (University of Edinburgh) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Roger and Sue Whorrod PhD studentship and the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs
- WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs
- SPECTRUM consortium. Through SPECTRUM
- UK Prevention Research Partnership (MR/S037519/1)
- British Heart Foundation
- Cancer Research UK
- Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division
- Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Natural Environment Research Council, Public Health Agency
- The Health Foundation and Wellcome
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Political Influence and Corporate Strategies
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Public Health Policies and Education
- Keywords
- sugar-sweetened beverage tax, corporate political activity, industry lobbying, added sugar intake, obesity prevention, non-communicable diseases, policy process, WHO European Region
- MeSH terms
- Sugars, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Beverages, Humans, Politics, Taxes, World Health Organization, Policy
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