In recent years, alcohol industry lobbying in Scotland, particularly by the Scotch Whisky Association, has caused significant concern due to its aggressive interference in policy and law making.
Earlier in 2024, Maik Dünnbier, as host of the Alcohol Issues Podcast, discussed alcohol industry lobbying in Scotland with Jane Gordon of SHAAP. For the fourth episode in the third season of the Alcohol Issues Podcast they spoke alcohol industry interference against alcohol policy making in the public interest. Ms Gordon exposed the “master manipulators”.
The Whisky lobby’s interference
Reports by The Scotsman have highlighted that whisky industry lobbyists engage in substantial and relentless lobbying activities, gaining privileged access to Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs).
One specific event, likened to “speed dating” with MSPs, allowed Big Alcohol lobbyists to directly discuss policies with lawmakers, aiming to shape discussions on issues such as alcohol taxation, marketing regulations, and health interventions. This direct access has sparked debates about the transparency of such lobbying efforts and the degree of influence the alcohol industry holds over policymaking in Scotland.
The number of lobbying meetings by the Scotch Whisky Association, has doubled from 30 meetings with MSPs during 2023 to 61 such meetings registered so far in 2024.
Since the 2021 Holyrood election, the organisation has met with 92 out of the 129 MSPs – almost three quarters of the total number of elected politicians, The Scotsman reports.
The meetings come against a backdrop of minimum unit pricing level having been raised – to 65p per unit as of October 7, 2024 – and with alcohol deaths in Scotland having reached the highest level in 15 years after 1,277 people died from conditions caused by alcohol last year.
The whisky industry has been particularly aggressive in opposing evidence-based public health measures, such as Scotland’s Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP), which aims to reduce alcohol consumption by setting a floor price on alcoholic beverages. But MUP has been hailed as a success by public health officials, with studies showing a reduction in alcohol harm in Scotland. However, the industry’s lobbying efforts have not ceased, and they continue to push for policies that favor their private profit interests over people’s health.
The Scotch Whisky Association used the “speed dating” strategy this year, with a stand set up at the Scottish Parliament allowing industry lobbyists to speak to dozens of MSPs within the space of three days.
The Scotsman has also exposed that Big Alcohol lobbyists give gifts and freebies to MSPs, including to Health Secretary Neil Gray, Kate Forbes, former Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross and deputy Scottish Labour leader Jackie Baillie. These “gifts” include tickets to sporting events, island visits, and bottles of whisky.
For example, Ms Forbes and her husband attended the 2024 Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield as guests of Heineken worth £400, according to The Scotsman. Ms Forbes is a member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), who has served as Deputy First Minister of Scotland and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic since May 2024.
Calls for greater transparency
Critics of alcohol industry lobbying argue that the level of access given to the whisky industry and other alcohol producers is highly problematic.
Many believe it undermines efforts to pass effective alcohol legislation that could protect public health. This type of access and alcohol industry interference also undermines the people’s trust in the democratic institutions to act in the public interest.
Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) has called on politicians to be more transparent and for guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation to be adopted.
One proposal has been to introduce a formal register of lobbyists in Scotland to track the interactions between alcohol industry representatives and politicians. Such a register would help shine a light on the extent of industry influence, giving the public a clearer view of how policies are formed.
Public health and public interest organizations argue that transparency in lobbying is crucial to understanding the real motivations behind policy decisions and preventing undue alcohol industry influence from delaying or blocking public health measures.
It is time to have a rethink about just how close the industry has got to the hearts of politicians by using small independent distilleries and craft brewers as the acceptable face of the industry,” said SHAAP director Elinor Jayne, according to The Scotsman.
Perhaps the Scottish Government should consider being more transparent when meeting with the industry and use the new World Health Organisation toolkit for managing interactions with health harming industries such as alcohol, and I would urge all MSPs to consider not accepting corporate hospitality from the alcohol industry while Scotland is in the grip of an alcohol public health crisis.”
Elinor Jayne, director, SHAAP
Alcohol policy at a crossroads
Scotland’s alcohol policy framework is at a critical juncture, as public health advocates call for more ambitious alcohol policy measures. These include better alcohol marketing standards following international best practices, enhanced public health campaigns, and increased alcohol taxation.
But Big Alcohol lobbyists are consistently present in these discussions, seeking to ensure that the private profits of alcohol companies remain a priority, instead of the health of the population – as Scotland continues to face high rates of alcohol harm.
This latest case of aggressive, relentless alcohol industry lobbying highlights the problems that arise when powerful economic actors interfere in decision-making processes that seek to promote people’s health and protect the public interest.
The whisky industry, with its strong lobbying presence, remains a formidable force in undermining and derailing Scotland’s alcohol policy efforts.
Ultimately, the future of alcohol policy in Scotland may depend on whether policy and law makers can find the commitment and courage to prioritize the needs for public health instead of Big Alcohol needs for private profits.